Beautiful Lies
by Kylaa
Summary: Sharpay deals with her eating disorder and new relationships as she is placed in rehab. But, when she returns home, will she be able to maintain her progress? Or will she lose control? Sequel to Painfully Perfect. T for eating disorder.
1. Chapter 1

Sharpay stared at the clock in front of her. The second hand seem to be moving too quickly, or so Sharpay thought. In two hours she would attend her first group therapy session. She had only been at rehab for three hours, and already was supposed to talk about _why_ she was here?

All of Sharpay's belongings had been checked through, to rid of sharp objects, gum, cigarettes, diuretics, laxatives; the list went on and on. Rules were echoing in Sharpay's mind. _"Wake up is at six Monday through Friday, seven Saturday and Sunday for morning vitals check and weigh ins." "Only two fluids per meal: milk, water, or juice." "One napkin per meal." "No bathroom breaks are permitted during mealtime." "Patients must be seated the entire time during mealtime." "The cafeteria requires no blankets, bags, sweatshirts, backpacks, purses for obvious reasons." _

The sudden noise of someone entering Sharpay's room pulled her out of her thoughts. A thin, bubbly girl with sandy blond hair and sun-kissed skin entered the bedroom along with a tall, tan, dark-haired boy and sat on the bed opposite Sharpay's with large smiles.

"Hi! You must be my new roommate, Sharpay?" Sharpay nodded hesitantly as the girl continued. "It's so nice to meet you! I'm Colette. This is Adam."

"Nice to meet you guys," she smiled brightly at the girl and boy sitting on the bed with the blue comforter.

"So, why are you here? Well, obviously I get why you're here, but what's your story? Did you decide to come to rehab or did your parents force you?" Colette blurted out quickly. Sharpay's mind instantly thought that she had never met anybody as blunt as Colette, except maybe Taylor, but already liked her.

"Something happened and I was put in the hospital, so everyone found out and now I'm here," Sharpay opened up slightly, making sure not to give away too many details before she actually got to know these people.

"You're holding out on details," Colette giggled in a sing-song voice. "Well with me," Colette laughed once again and bumped her shoulder into Adam with a smile. "I was on vacation with my family and my best friend in California, hence the tan. One morning I went for a run with my friend and basically had a minor heart attack and had to be brought to the hospital. So after I was released I was sent here. I've been here a week and a half. And you, Adam?" Colette asked the tan, dark-haired boy, even though she already knew the full story.

"I'm a wrestler, well, _was_ a wrestler, and I always tried to make weight, but I guess eventually things went too far and it became a habit. And now I'm here with all these lovely ladies," the cute boy spoke for the first time, never taking his eyes off of Sharpay. Colette smirked inwardly to herself when she saw the interaction between her friend and new roommate. Suddenly, Adam stood up, wiping his palms across his dark blue jeans. "Well ladies, I've got individual therapy. See you at lunch!"

Once Adam was out of the room, Colette laid down on her side and looked at Sharpay, her hand propping up her head. "You like him, don't you?" She smiled knowingly.

"What?!" Sharpay sputtered, aghast. "No, of course not. I just met him. Besides, there's a boy at home."

"Ooh! Details!" The other blond squealed.

"It's nothing really; it's not like we're even official either. His name is Zeke and he's had a crush on me forever. And he was there for me a bunch in the past few months."

"Aw, sounds cute." The room grew silent as the girls mulled over their own thoughts. And eventually, Sharpay had concluded that maybe rehab wouldn't be _that_ bad.

;-;

Soon enough, Sharpay was sitting in the cafeteria, about to eat her first lunch at rehab. Colette sat across from her, Adam to Colette's right, and a frail girl named Amy, who looked young enough to be thirteen sat at the other end of the table across from Tess, a mother of two who was in her early thirties and looked impossibly thin for a woman that age. Sharpay was shocked when she looked around the room and saw the faces of the people with eating disorders; that they weren't just teenage women, but women of all ages, and even a few young boys.

Across from Sharpay, Colette had already started picking at the slice of pepperoni pizza lying on the plate in front of her amongst the many other food items on her tray. A counselor named Shelly came over and took a seat next to Sharpay. "You're new here right?" She said cheerily.

"Yeah," Sharpay sighed nervously.

"Mmm, first meal is one of the hardest. But we're here for you." She smiled, urging Sharpay to start eating. Hesitantly, she pushed her fork into a plate of macaroni and cheese, catching noodles on the end of the fork. Slowly, the anxious blond lifted the fork up to her lips and bit down, letting the food fall into her mouth. She chewed lightly after letting out a deep sigh she hadn't known she was holding.

"Not _that_ hard, now was it?" Shelly said encouragingly, patting Sharpay on the back.

By the end of lunch, Sharpay had eaten all the food on her plate, but a sad look was on her face.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Colette asked, patting Sharpay's hand.

Sharpay just shook her head, slipping back into silence. "Walk with me to group therapy, okay?" The two blond girls stood up and walked with arms linked to the large room down the hallway.

;-;

"Welcome to Community. As a few of you know, we've got a new member joining us. Sharpay, would you like to introduce yourself?" Shelly, the counselor who had helped Sharpay at lunch, spoke to the large group of people around the room.

For someone who had spent their entire life performing for people, Sharpay was incredibly nervous. At the moment, she really didn't want to be here, in rehab, at a clinic, trying to get better. She wished she could go home; home to her own bed, her own friends, her parents, and most of all Ryan.

"Um, hi, I'm Sharpay." Quickly, she sat back down and wrapped her arms self-consciously around her body.

"Would anybody like to explain the rules of group to Sharpay?" Shelly asked. Colette's hand shot up, the never fading smile plastered on her face. "Colette, thank you."

"This is the Community. This is group therapy. You can only talk if you're holding the talking stick, except Shelly," Colette said, while shaking the long feathered stick up in the air, "and basically this is a place to offer support, receive support, talk about what's on your mind, any struggles you're going through, and so on." Colette stood up and handed the stick back to Shelly.

"Okay, so who would like to start us off today? Anything on anyone's mind?"

A hand raised slowly up into the air, and Sharpay recognized the small girl, Amy, who had eaten lunch at her table. With stick in hand, Amy's small voice filled the room. "I've been here for three weeks and for most of that time I _really _didn't want to be here and I _certainly_ didn't want any help. But, I'm starting to realize how much I really need help, so I was wondering if the Community could offer me support in the next couple of days, so that I can start getting back on track."

Moments later the stick was in Adam's hand and he started to talk. Sharpay stared directly at him, but he avoided her eye contact. "Most of you know my story, and something has really been on my mind lately. I keep thinking...I keep feeling like I _need_ to...purge. I haven't, but I just feel like every time after I eat that I just need to get rid of it."

"Adam, why do you think this has been going on?"

He shrugged and looked at his hands that were gripped tightly together. "I don't want to gain weight. I _really _don't. But I want to get better. I think...I think it's just because...I don't know. All my life my brothers were so talented, and so physically fit and I looked up to them. They're the only reason I went into wrestling. And when I started making weight, and winning matches, I was so proud of myself and I just wanted to keep losing more and more. I want that emotional high back, like I was finally better than my brothers."

"Thank you, Adam, for opening up with the group. Anything else?"

Adam folded his arms together and finally looked up. His eye contact locked with Sharpay's. "I just have a feeling I'm not the only one who feels like that." Soon the eye contact became too intense for Sharpay and, knowing Adam was referring to Sharpay, she looked down shamefuly.

* * *

**Author's Note:** There's the first chapter! I'm so glad it's finally up. It's kind of short, but I just needed to set things up. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Here's a couple of things to know:

**Colette** is played by **Gabrielle Christian** (Spencer from South of Nowhere)  
**Adam** is played by **Chris Olivero** (Declan from Kyle XY)

And a bunch of inspiration/ideas/details about the rehab-chapters comes from the documentary THIN. It's an amazing film. So, review? :)


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm up to ninety three pounds," Colette said happily to Sharpay after vitals the next morning. "You?"

"Ninety one." Sharpay knew she had gained weight in the hospital and already a bit at rehab, but wished she knew how much it was exactly so that she could know what her lowest weight had been to see if it had hit her goal weight.

"That's great, Sharpay! I'm happy for you!" Sharpay was thinking that all Colette ever was was a big bundle of happiness and it was a good quality to have. "What'd you think of group therapy last night?"

"Adam has really intense eye contact," the blond admitted with a laugh. "But, everyone is really honest. I don't think I can open up like that."

"It's not that hard once you get used to being here. You've just got to be comfortable with someone to open up to them."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Well, you can talk to me any time, Sharpay, just so you know," Colette exclaimed as she pulled her new friend into a hug.

"And you can talk to me, too," Sharpay replied, unaware at how soon Colette would take that advice.

;-;

"Nice to see you again, Sharpay," Mischa, the therapist who had evaluated her when she was in the hospital, greeted Sharpay with a smile. "I'll be your therapist."

Sharpay nodded and took a seat in the comfy chair across from her new therapist. It was her first individual therapy session and being it was only the second day Sharpay had been at rehab, it was still hard for her to talk.

"How are you feeling?" Mischa asked.

"I'm okay," Sharpay said slowly, pulling her arms inside of Ryan's grey sweatshirt she was wearing.

"Just okay? Why is that?"

"It's still hard to talk about anything."

Mischa nodded with an understanding smile. "Well, what do you think about your first couple of days here?"

"The people are nice."

"How was your first meal?"

"Hard. Incredibly hard," Sharpay started. "I know that I'm here to get better, but I wasn't the one who decided to come here. My parents decided for me to come here. _They_ want me to get better."

"And you? Don't you want to get better Sharpay?"

"I don't know. I want to get better and to feel normal again. I want to go out to lunch with my friends and not worry about what I eat. But I want to be thin. And I can't have both."

The conversation stopped for a few minutes as Mischa just studied Sharpay's actions, waiting for her to say something.

"Right now, I don't think I want to get better," Sharpay admitted honestly, pulling at a thread on the chair.

"Do you want to keep living, Sharpay?" Mischa asked suddenly.

Sharpay was a bit shocked at the question, but was even more shocked at what came out of her mouth. "Most of the time."

"Have you ever taken anti-depressants, Sharpay?"

The blond shook her head slowly. "Have you had any suicidal thoughts?"

"Not really. I've never thought about killing myself."

"But if you don't get help for your eating disorder, wouldn't that be exactly what you're doing?"

Sharpay pulled her legs up to her chest and curled into a small ball before nodding slowly.

"I'm going to prescribe you for Cymbalta and see if that helps with your depression."

"I have depression?"

"The signs you're showing point to that. I think it will help you."

But right now, that was the last thing Sharpay wanted.

;-;

Ryan sat at home doing his homework in his bedroom as his mom cooked dinner. School had been awkward that day because it was the first day he'd be at school without Sharpay. Few people knew where exactly Sharpay was and that was mostly just her immediate family, closest friends, Coach Bolton and Ms. Darbus. His friends tried not to act strange about the whole Sharpay thing. They cared immensely, so tried to act naturally, but seemed to be walking on eggshells around Ryan as if at any moment he would breakdown.

The good thing, though, was that his friends were with him most of the day, deflecting the questions that people would occasionally ask about Sharpay. For that, he was thankful. Life at home had been awkward, too.

Things were mostly quiet, and Sharpay wasn't really mentioned, except when Ryan's parents talked in hushed whispers thinking that he couldn't hear them.

"Ryan, honey! Dinner," Alyson's voice rang up to his room. Ryan shut his chemistry book and jogged down the stairs, then turned into the dining room. He pulled out his chair and sat down with his dad as his mom brought dinner to the table. _Dinner is one of Sharpay's favorites, or had been before she stopped eating_, Ryan thought angrily.

He couldn't help but be upset with his twin sister. All attention had been focused on Sharpay's eating disorder ever since it was discovered. There was a small part of Ryan, deep down inside, that missed Sharpay terribly, not that he'd admit it.

Ryan watched his mom serve dinner onto his dad's plate, her plate, and then Ryan's. She was about to place a piece of chicken on Sharpay's usual plate, but retreated slowly when she realized her mistake. Nobody spoke all through dinner, so the only sound was the clink of metal silverware scraping across the dinner plates.

;-;

It was late at night, probably around one in the morning, as Sharpay lie wide awake in bed. She couldn't fall asleep; Colette was sound asleep in the bed across from Sharpay, or so she thought, with their backs facing each other. Sharpay closed her eyes for a moment, but they shot open when she heard Colette's voice.

"Sharpay?" she whispered quietly, a sense of sadness in her voice.

"Yeah, Colette?" Sharpay whispered back.

It was quiet for a few minutes before Colette spoke again. "Did you ever use diuretics, laxatives, Ipecac, anything?"

The question was odd to Sharpay. "No," she started slowly. "I never even thought of it. Why?"

The bedroom the two girls shared grew silent. A large amount of time seemed to have past. Sharpay was positive that Colette was asleep, but suddenly her voice filled the room. "Two years ago," she started quietly, her voice cracking, her never fading happiness finally disappearing, "I was home alone for the weekend. My parents were out of town, my brothers were at their friends cabin. A half gallon of ice cream and four slices of pizza was what it took for me to snap. I threw it up right away. I was dehydrated and dizzy, but I took some Ipecac, laxatives, a handful of anti-depressants, and a sleeping pill. I passed out cold on the kitchen floor while I was trying to get to my room. I woke up the next day in my own vomit, completely dehydrated."

Colette was crying by now. She had only ever told her psychiatrist about that, not even the doctor who admitted her to the hospital for dehydration, her parents, her brothers, or her best friend. Sharpay was shocked, scared even. "Colette, why are you telling me this?"

"I was literally dying to be thin. I tried to take my life because I never thought I'd be thin enough. What scares me is that sometimes I don't care if I end up dying to be thin, because at least I'll get my wish."

* * *

**Author's Note:** It's my birthday, so I decided to give YOU a gift! Hah, :). Hope you liked it. Again it was a bit short. Things will get more interesting soon; the story is just starting out, so eventually the chapters WILL get longer. So, wanna give me a gift in return? Reviews are lovely. :)


	3. Chapter 3

After Colette's startling confession to Sharpay last night, she drifted into an uneasy sleep where her dreams were filled with memories she had long forgotten.

_Sharpay was four and stood in her ballet class, a tight black leotard matched with a sparkly pink tutu. They were practicing by the bar on positions. As the teacher walked around, she pulled Sharpay's shoulders back and whispered in her ear, _"Think thin."_ Instantaneously, the little blond girl's stomach pulled in, causing her small ribs to poke out of her outfit._

_Second was of her and Ryan when they were younger, probably six or seven. They had been going to private school and Sharpay still had baby fat on her. Vividly, Sharpay saw a group of girls who said they were her friends come up and laugh at her._"Look at the cow," _the girls giggled._ "My mom says it's just baby fat," _Sharpay replied, biting her bottom lip, tears welling up in her eyes. _"Are you a baby?" _The 'leader' of the girls questioned._ "No?" "Then it's not baby fat, you just _are_ fat!"

_The next memory showed Sharpay and Ryan on the beach together when they were twelve. Sharpay was sitting pretzel-legged on her long beach towel, with Ryan to her right, while she admired the models in a fashion magazine she was paging through. Subconsciously, Sharpay would touch the visible collarbone on some of the thinner models and then would suck her stomach in tightly. Ryan watched his sister do this repeatedly without saying a word._

Rapidly, Sharpay awoke in bed clutching at her heart. It seemed to be a nightmare. Had she really suppressed those memories for so long? Could they have been a seed planted in her head that would one day develop into the eating disorder that she harbored? Glancing at the shining red numbers, Sharpay saw it was five thirty in the morning. It was useless for her to try and fall back asleep when she would be woken up in a half an hour for vitals. Instead, Sharpay laid quietly in her bed, staring at the ceiling and wishing that at this moment, she could talk to Ryan.

;-;

"Good morning, Ryan," Alyson spoke cheerily as her son walked into the kitchen, the smell of pancakes lingering in the air.

"Morning mom," the blond boy stifled a yawn as he sat down at the kitchen table. "Where's dad?"

"Oh, he went into work early. Which reminds me, I need to talk to you about Saturday."

Saturday. It only took moments before Ryan realized that on Saturday he would be turning seventeen, as would Sharpay. In light of everything, it had barely crossed his mind. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Well, I was thinking we'd go visit Sharpay," she said, placing breakfast in front of her son, as he groaned. "We have a family therapy session, and Sharpay would probably like to see some familiar faces on her birthday."

"But it's _my_ birthday, too, or have you also forgotten that I'm your son?"

Taken aback, Alyson stared shocked at her son. "Yes, I remember it's your birthday, too. Don't act like you're the _only _one who's been affected by this Ryan."

"But I _am_ the only one acting like something has happened! You and dad don't even act like Sharpay left!" Ryan spat angrily, now standing on his feet.

"Ryan," the older woman started, breathing in deeply, "Our family has an image to uphold in this town. Do you honestly want people knowing your sister is anorexic, let alone that's she's in _therapy _for it? It's bad enough all of your friends already know, the way gossip spreads here, but you know how much we care, how much this had deeply affected _all_ of us. So, we're visiting Sharpay on Saturday, and that's that."

"I know you care, but you sure as hell don't act like it. What, were you just going to ship Sharpay away for a few months and just make up some lie to tell people? I bet that's what you've already done. So, if we're not going to _act_ like anything has happened, then I _don't_ want to go see, Sharpay. I_ don't_ want to sit for an hour and a half watching her pick at her damn food! I want to go out with my friends and have dinner, or see a movie. I don't want to watch my sister _starve _herself on my birthday. What do you think about that?"

"I am asking you for half of your day. You'll get to do stuff with your friends for your birthday. Sharpay won't. I don't want to hear anymore about it. Eat your breakfast," Alyson huffed and marched out of the room, as Ryan knocked the chair over he was supposed to be sitting on.

;-;

Colette and Sharpay hadn't talked all that much, considering there was some awkward tension from Colette's confession the night before. The two girls sat quietly in their shared bedroom when suddenly Adam came in. "Hello gorgeous," Adam flirted with Sharpay, but she had ignored the comment thinking he was talking to her roommate. Colette giggled at the oblivious girl and hugged Adam quickly. "You two are rather quiet."

"Mmm, just tired I guess," Colette offered, her radiant happiness back. "Anyways, where were you?"

"Drinking _Resource_. It's my favorite," the boy laughed sarcastically.

"What's _Resource_?" Sharpay asked curiously. Colette sat down on her bed with her knees to her chest and Adam followed suit.

"It's a mandatory supplement used for weight gain." Sharpay's mouth formed an 'O' and she turned away from the two friends.

"Hey hey hey!" Adam exclaimed, nudging Sharpay in the knee. "You have a birthday on Saturday."

"How do you know that?"

"I'm not a stalker," he laughed, running a hand through his hair. "It's on the bulletin board. So, is your family going to come visit?"

Sharpay looked at the wall in front of her and mumbled, "I'm not sure. My brother technically doesn't like me at the moment. My parents might. I'm not sure. I had almost forgotten."

"Hm, just wait. You'll get to eat a piece of cake specially made for you by the head chef," Colette said happily.

"Oh joy," Sharpay replied sarcastically. "Well, I've got to go to therapy. I'll see you guys at group."

Quickly, Sharpay left the room, leaving Colette and Adam to talk. "What's with the tension? I could feel it," Adam joked once his other blond friend left.

His best friend at rehab sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. "Last night...I told her I overdosed."

"You overdosed?!" Adam gasped, causing Colette to hit him in the arm.

"Can you speak any louder? Yes, that's what I told her. But, whatever, I'll tell you about that later. Talk to me about you. I can tell you like Shar."

"Oh, is it that obvious?"

"Yeah, except to her. She says there's a boy back home...looks like you've got some competition."

Adam looked at his hands as he spoke, "I'm going to get to know her more. I really like her, Co...and I understand what she's gone through. We both had the same goal... I _really_ like her."

"So you said. Aw, this is too cute, though. You've known her for half a week and already you're in love," Colette said with a bubbly tone.

"Shut up," Adam said, nudging Colette in the shoulder, but the grin never left his face.

;-;

Mischa hadn't even said a word when Sharpay suddenly spoke. "I had a weird dream last night. I think...they were memories?"

"What of?" Mishca asked, her arms folded across her chest.

"They were when I was little...my ballet teacher telling me to 'think thin', these girls calling me fat, admiring the stick-thin models in a magazine."

"What do you think of the dream?"

Sharpay sighed. "I guess it scared me. I didn't even remember I had those memories." The room became silent again and then Mischa spoke.

"So, you've got a birthday on Saturday. Your mother called and told me she'd be coming down with your father and brother. That's good."

"I guess," the nearly-seventeen year old girl mumbled. "My brother hates me."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because...he was so mad when he found out about..." Sharpay trailed off, not able to bring herself to say the words.

"Your eating disorder?" the therapist offered.

"Yeah. He was shocked, sad even, at first. Then he got angry. Really angry. He didn't visit me at the hospital, he wasn't even going to say goodbye when I was dropped off here. I've called my mom twice since I've been here...mainly to talk to Ryan, but he's apparently not home when I call."

"Do you and your brother have a strong bond?"

"He's my twin," Sharpay said with a nod.

"Oh," Mischa spoke softly. "Do you think he's felt the pain that you've had?"

"I'm not sure?" Sharpay questioned, a confused look on her face.

"Let me rephrase. A lot of twins have very strong physical and mental connections. Do you think, that at any time during the process of your eating disorder, he knew exactly what was going on? Or he felt the burden you were carrying?"

Slowly, Sharpay nodded her head. "They were a couple of times...it was at the beginning of my eating disorder, so it wasn't very obvious. He was monitoring my eating. Sometimes, when I'd lie, it was almost like you saw _right_ through them. I just wish he'd talk to me. He's my rock, my best friend."

"Well, hopefully we can get that to happen on Saturday."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Aw, thanks for the birthday wishes everyone! :) Sorry it's taken awhile to get up...end of the school year, so things have been very busy! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it and please, review with any thoughts!

And yes, mimi, I heard that Polly passed away. I was really upset when I heard. She was amazing, such a strong woman. I felt terrible about what she went through, and I was shocked when I heard she died. THIN is an amazing film and I wish all those girls the best.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** I don't own anything. This chapter has a lot of drama and harsh reactions I guess?...This has taken awhile to write and it's probably going to be angsty, but I'm feeling so stressed lately,so this is how it's turned out.

Hey, if you're reading, why don't you drop a review? I don't mind if it's anonymous or not. I just love hearing what everybody's thinking-whether it be good or bad-because it's only going to help me get better as a writer. And, I have a question I've just been wondering...Do you guys like the OCs Adam and Colette? Do you want them to play a larger part in the story? Leave it as it is? Let me know.

* * *

Sharpay sat nervously in group therapy. She rhythmically tapped her foot, while anxiously staring at the clock. Her family would be here in an hour and knowing them it would nine o'clock sharp, not a minute later.

"Sharpay?" Shelly asked. "Is something going on that's making you overwhelmed, or anything you'd like to share with the group so we can offer support?"

Lately, Sharpay had been making an effort to talk more often in group, so it was easy for her to share what she was feeling. "It's my birthday today and I'm really nervous because I haven't seen my family in about a week. And right now my brother is acting really angry towards me. I'm just really nervous."

Adam, who was sitting to Sharpay's right, grabbed the talking stick from her hand so he could talk. When their hands touched, the birthday girl could feel electricity running through her hand. He smiled, the smile that made Sharpay beam, as he began to talk. "First off, happy birthday. I'm offering you support today Sharpay. I know what you're going through. When my brothers found out, they were in college. They came home right away, and I was so sure that they hated me because that's how they acted. It wasn't like that though; they were just so scared that I had put myself through that situation, and they didn't understand. They weren't angry directly at me; knowing that they couldn't do anything about them is what scared them."

Adam stood and handed the talking stick back to Shelly, who addressed the rest of the group. Sharpay, however was smiling at Adam thankfully, who had set his hand comfortingly on top of hers.

;-;

"Mr. and Mrs. Evans," Mischa started, "It's nice to meet you. And this must be your son, Ryan, correct?"

Michael nodded. Sharpay was sitting on one side of the room by Mischa, her parents on the small couch to her left, and Ryan sitting angrily in the chair farthest away from Sharpay, his arms crossed tightly across his chest.

"Sharpay, this is going to be just like regular therapy, okay?"

Sharpay nodded understandingly and then listened to her therapist address her parents. "Did you ever notice anything was wrong with Sharpay during the time of her eating disorder, or that she had depression?"

Alyson was shocked. "Our daughter, _Sharpay,_ has depression?"

"Yes, it's a common effect of eating disorders."

The twins mom nodded her head in disbelief, allowing her husband to answer the question. "Well, Sharpay always had everything she wanted and needed," Michael spoke plainly while Sharpay scoffed, "And being her parents, I'm sure we would've realized something was wrong or at least she would've talked to us."

"Sharpay, you scoffed...how come?" Mischa asked her patient.

"Because, I never had _everything_ I wanted or needed. If I did I wouldn't be like this."

"What is it that you didn't have or want?"

Sharpay took a deep breath, and finally let some of her repressed anger surface. "I remember when Ryan and I were younger," Sharpay laughed bitterly, Ryan finally looking up at his twin as she spoke, "And Ryan was always 'perfect' or whatever. My parents always said how great he was...always congratulated him and told him how well he was doing with everything. It was always _'Sharpay, you need to raise those grades up'_ and _'Sharpay, you need to work more often on your dances, on your singing.'_ It was like nothing I did wasn't good enough. And people wondered why I was such a bitch when I was younger. And then Ryan and I made friends. I finally felt normal, and like I didn't have to try to be anything, but myself."

She turned toward her dad as she continued speaking. "And then, gosh I can still remember it, you, my own _father_, told me I was getting plump. And I felt so dumb for letting those words affect me so negatively. But it made me start to criticize everything about my body, trying to correct every flaw and imperfection. For awhile I just thought, why not just eat healthier? But then everything in my mind became distorted and made it seem like I still wasn't good enough. '_Just a few more pounds, and people will love you Shar.'_ Anything that anybody said about body image, or eating in general hit me negatively, even if it wasn't directed at me or even in that way. And you and mom always wanted me to be perfect just like Ryan. Maybe if you had just given me some fucking support when I was younger, or paid attention when I needed to talk...it's just that so many little things seem to have set off my eating disorder. I can't believe my family, you guys of _all_ people didn't notice something was wrong." Sharpay shook her head in her hands, pressing her palms against her glistening eyes.

"Oh, Sharpay, that is not fair. We just wanted the best for you and your brother," Alyson cried out to her daughter, who just stared at her in disbelief.

"Then why didn't you ever correct something Ryan was doing wrong, huh? Why was it always just_ me_ with the problem? Gosh, and now I'm in rehab for having a fucking eating disorder and you think nothing you said or did contributed to that?"

"I didn't say that. But you are being out of line, Sharpay. We love you. I love you. You know that we would never do anything to put you in harm. We've _always_ just wanted the best for you."

Mischa glanced at her watch briefly before she spoke. "Ryan," she started, stopping Sharpay and her mother from taking their spat any farther, "You've been awfully quiet. What's on your mind? How does it feel to have your sister say these things?"

Ryan rolled his eyes. "I don't need a shrink to help _me_, but thanks."

"Mr. and Mrs. Evans, would you please excuse yourselves for just a few moments? It can be easier for a child to speak if their parents aren't around." Michael and Alyson politely excused themselves from the room leaving Mischa with the two blond twins.

"Ryan? Anything?"

Clenching his jaw, Ryan was silent. He let a few minutes past before he spoke in a dark whisper, "I hate you, Sharpay. I absolutely _hate_ you."

The words were a verbal smack across Sharpay's face. "Ryan, what prompted you to say that?" Mischa questioned.

"She ruined everything. The past two weeks have been terrible. And then the whole time she hid her eating disorder she was just so horrible all the time. And no, Sharpay, it hasn't always been me who's the 'perfect' one. You and mom go on your little shopping sprees, and do your girl stuff, and then you and dad go golfing or go to lunch together _all _the time. Do you see me having that? You know how inferior that makes _me_ feel? Like _I'm_ not good enough? You're not the only one who's been affected by this, Sharpay," Ryan yelled, by now standing on his feet. "And then you talked about how none of us noticed something was wrong. Well wasn't it me, your twin brother, your _best friend_, asking if something was wrong, if you needed to talk, why you were looking thinner and acting upset all the time? I noticed, didn't I Shar? Huh?"

Being too much for Sharpay to handle at the moment, she walked right out of the room, past her parents, and into the narrow hallway close to her room. Ryan followed behind her finally giving her a piece of his mind. "You can't handle it, Sharpay? The fact that someone is finally telling you the brutal honest truth? Does that make you mad?" Ryan screamed, his cheeks reddening.

"Stop it Ryan, stop it! You're scaring me. Why are you being so terrible?" The female twin cried, spinning on her heel to face her brother.

By now, Colette and Adam had come out of the girls' bedroom and were standing cautiously behind Sharpay. Mischa stood close behind Ryan.

"Why am I scaring you? I'm just being honest! Isn't that what you wanted?" Ryan spat in an accusatory tone. With a sarcastic tone, Ryan said, "Oh, Shar...it looks like you've gained some weight since you've been here. Maybe _too _much. What's everyone going to think of you now?" Although he meant the words sarcastically to prove a point, they left a bitter taste in his mouth, but he couldn't take them back now. He felt Mischa's hands lock on his shoulders and only then did he realize he was shaking. As Mischa led Ryan back to her small office, Sharpay turned around, tears spilling down her face. But instead of entering her bedroom, she was embraced into Adam's thin, but protective arms.

;-;

Ryan's breathing was short and heavy, on the verge of a panic attack. Angry tears splashed down his face as he sat in front of Sharpay's therapist. "I didn't mean it, I didn't mean it. Oh God, why would she do this?" Ryan whispered to himself more than Mischa.

"Ryan, calm down. It's okay," Mischa said soothingly, handing him a tissue. After a few minutes, Ryan was calmer and Mischa began to talk. "Ryan, especially as Sharpay's brother, do you understand the impact of the words you just said to her?"

A dry sob escaped from the damaged blond boy. "I didn't mean it. I was _kidding._ I was trying to show her how stupid it was! Why did she do this? She's so thin and I can barely even remember what she looked like when she was healthy. She looks like she's dying."

"Sharpay has had a really good attitude since coming here. Most patients reject getting help and don't try to save themselves. Sharpay was the opposite...she ate her first meal, a huge step, and opened up with others quickly. Those words, even if you didn't mean them, will be planted in Sharpay's mind. I'm hoping this doesn't set back her progress. But, you need to understand Ryan," Mischa said, waiting for the teenage boy to look at her, "Sharpay talks about you like you're the best person in her life. She absolutely _loves_ you and I think your approval and opinion is of utmost importance to her. So you need to be very cautious with the words you chose to use with her."

Ryan was strangely calm as he spoke. "Do you have a twin?"

"No," Mischa said plainly. "I have two older sisters and an older brother. How come?"

"Sharpay and I...we're so alike. We both love dancing, singing, acting--I guess just performing in general. We loved dressing similarly, doing little things together...like cooking dinner and making up plays for our parents. It was _so_ hard for me when Sharpay started acting different. I _knew_ something was wrong, I could actually feel it. But, I just couldn't put the pieces together quick enough. Do you know how hard it is for me to be at home and Sharpay to be here? Do you know how difficult it is to go to school with your friends and not be able to talk about it because it hurts too much? Do you know how hard it is to have your parents act like nothing has really happened? Do you know how it feels to have your teachers glance at you with looks of pity or sympathy? Or do you know how terrible _I_ feel knowing that I couldn't save her? Or that I _knew_ something was wrong, but I didn't want to admit that Sharpay wasn't flawless?"

Stunned with the pure honesty of Ryan, Mischa shook her head. "No."

Ryan sighed deeply. "And why would you?"

;-;

"What happened, Sharpay?" Colette asked with concern once the three were back in the girls bedroom with the door firmly shut.

Sharpay shook her head, her face still buried in her hands. Adam, who was sitting next to her, wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. Shakily, Sharpay spoke, "H-he said I gained too much weight. I probably l-look h-huge." A new wave a tears spilled down Sharpay's face.

"Shh, it's okay, Shar. You look beautiful," Adam whispered sweetly to the blond girl in his arms. Colette stood up and moved to Sharpay's bed, wrapping her friend in a warm hug. There was a light knock on the door and Colette opened the door, revealing Ryan. "What do you want?" The tan blond scoffed at Sharpay's brother in a protective manner.

"Can I talk to my sister?" Ryan pleaded with glassy eyes.

"Why? So you can insult her again? I don't think she wants to right now."

Colette tried to shut the door when Adam came into Ryan's view, Sharpay standing closely behind him with their fingers locked. "Co, let's go to my room for a minute?"

Stubbornly, Colette left the room with Adam and Sharpay instinctively backed away from Ryan as he shut the door. "Sharpay, please don't," her brother sighed, reaching out to hug her to no avail.

"What do you want?" Sharpay asked, looking anywhere but at Ryan.

"I didn't mean what I said," he started, his voice cracking, "I didn't mean it at all. I said it sarcastically. You're so beautiful, Sharpay. You're the best sister anyone could ever have, _ever._ I only ever said it because I wanted you to realize how silly you were acting. I don't understand everything about anorexia, but I know that it took my sister and changed her. I just miss you, Sharpay. And I was so mad at you, so so mad at you."

It was quiet for a few moments. Sharpay sat down on the floor pretzel-legged. "Why?" She spoke so softly, Ryan wondered if he had imagined it. "Why were you mad?"

Ryan sat across from his sister, mirroring her position. "I always thought you were perfect, Shar. _I _looked up to _you._ You know what made me angry? That you didn't come and talk to me. That you thought that you had to be thin to be loved, or accepted, or beautiful or any of those things. You're all those things. I felt so stupid that I didn't realize...that I didn't _want _to realize that something was wrong with you. You can hate me, I don't care. But, I am so sorry."

Sharpay's eyes glistened as she finally met her brother's gaze. They stared at each other for a few minutes before Sharpay leaned forward and hugged her brother. He held on tightly to her, as if he let go she'd disappear from him forever. "I love you, Shar."

Sharpay squeezed her eyes shut, allowing a sprinkle of tears to spring out. "I love you, too, Ry."

"Promise me you'll get better _really _soon, okay? Please, promise me?"

Silently, a tear drifted slowly down Sharpay's pale, thin cheek. "I promise," Sharpay whispered. And for the first time since she entered rehab, she lied. Some birthday.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: **Basically, you're going to get to see more of the 'damaged/insecure' Sharpay that was in Painfully Perfect in upcoming chapters. Oh, and, yeah...

I'm seriously considering deleting this story. I need some inspiration.

* * *

If Sharpay had been asked last Saturday to try swimming at the beach, she would have been all for it. Instead, she sat in her baggy sweatpants and large white t-shirt on a long sandy beach towel, a pair of dark sunglasses covering her eyes while other patients splashed in the water. A few lagged behind on the shore like Sharpay did.

It was a beautiful, sunny day. The skies were a bright blue and the temperature was perfect. There was a cool breeze that danced in Sharpay's hair as she hugged her knees to her chest. Surprisingly, Colette was not in the water. She sat next to Sharpay in the same position. Adam sat to the left of Sharpay. He had been in the water a few times, but wouldn't go back in again unless the girls came with him.

Sharpay couldn't help but smile at Adam. He was so sweet and when he pulled off his shirt to go into the water, it revealed the showing of ribs softly poking out of skin that matched Sharpay so well. She felt safe when she was near him, but she couldn't convince herself that she liked him as more than a friend. Besides, she had Zeke back home who had always been there for her.

"Co, why aren't you in the water?" Sharpay asked curiously, tilting her head to the right so she could look at her friend.

Colette shrugged, closing her eyes momentarily. "Honestly?" She questioned. Sharpay nodded and Colette continued. "I don't want people looking at me. I don't want people looking at me like I'm too..."

"Big," Sharpay supplied for her. Colette nodded as the two friends gave each other a small hug. Adam hopped up out of his seat and stood in front of his two best friends. "Ladies, please. You two are absolutely stunningly gorgeous. So, would you please accompany me into the water?"

The girls giggled to each other. "I guess," Colette groaned. She stood up wearing her dark blue shorts and blue tankini top. Colette stuck her hand out to help Sharpay stand, but she just shook her head, her bangs flopping over the front of her glasses.

"You guys go ahead," the sitting blond said with fake enthusiasm.

"Shar, please? Pretty, pretty, _pretty_ please? For me?" Adam pleaded with the cutest puppy dog pout he could muster.

"Maybe later. Just...have fun." Sharpay smiled when Adam frowned, clutching his heart dramatically. Colette laughed and grabbed Adam's arm. Together they walked to the water's edge, Adam dragging Colette reluctantly into the cool lake.

Back on the sandy shore, Sharpay let out a heavy sigh she had been holding. Beneath her dark, over-sized glasses, she felt a pressure release from her chest as she closed her eyes and felt tears run down her cheeks.

;-;

The tall African American boy fiddled with the knobs on the radio another time, before the sound fizzled out completely. With a groan, he slumped back into his seat and stuck his arm out the window. "I can't believe the radio doesn't work!"

"Zeke, you're kidding right?" Gabriella laughed to her friend. "This is an _old_ station wagon that doesn't even have air conditioning. And you expected the _radio_ to work? We're lucky we can even drive it."

"Yes, Gabi, I did expect the radio to work, but it's fine. At least we're going to be able to visit Shar. I felt bad we couldn't have come up on her birthday."

"Yeah, me too," Gabriella replied. "But the way Ryan completely avoided talking about his visit kind of irked me."

Zeke was in his own thoughts as they continued down the road. "Do you think she's made friends?" He pondered aloud casually.

"Sure, I guess," the Filipino girl shrugged. "Maybe she even met a boy," she teased lightheartedly with a laugh.

Zeke frowned. "That's not funny, Gabs."

She slapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Admit it, it is. Besides, I was only joking."

"Mmm," Kelsi sighed in the backseat with a stretch. She and Troy had fallen asleep and she was just waking up. "What are we talking about?"

"Zeke is jealous that Sharpay may have met a boy," Gabriella said sarcastically.

Kelsi giggled, receiving a glare from Zeke. "How long until we're there?"

"Um, about thirty minutes. Wanna wake Troy up?"

"Sure thing." Kelsi tapped Troy politely on his shoulder until the brown-haired boy awoke.

"I'm up. I'm up! Are we there yet?" Troy asked.

Zeke laughed, turning around to look at his friends. "No, we're not there yet, but we will be soon."

"Just in time for lunch, I hope," Troy laughed, patting his empty stomach. The four friends chatted and laughed the rest of the way to visit Sharpay.

;-;

In the car ride back to the clinic, Sharpay sat sandwiched between Colette and Adam in the back seat of one of the two vans. There was a bubble of chatter in the car between nurses and patients. Not feeling up to being in a conversation, Sharpay just stared out the window, listening to her two friends talking.

"Admit it, Co, you had fun," Adam teased.

"That water wasn't _that_ bad. It would've been more fun if you came in, Shar," Colette said honestly.

Sharpay turned her head slightly to look at her friend. "Thanks, but I just wasn't in the mood."

"I wish you would've come in," the dark-haired boy to her left spoke sweetly.

Sharpay just flashed a smile and turned back to the window. In a few minutes, the van pulled to a stop and the patients and nurses piled out.

Adam and Colette walked a few steps ahead of Sharpay as they walked inside the building, leading the way to the room where everyone met for group therapy. Moments before Sharpay would have entered the large room, she did a double take at the petite girl standing by the receptionist.

"Gabi?" Sharpay asked, not believing her eyes.

"Sharpay?!" The brunette teen squealed joyfully, three pairs of eyes following after her as she sprinted across the hallway and wrapped her arms around her best friend.

A large smile broke across Sharpay's face as she hugged Gabriella back tightly. She pulled back and looked at her friend. "I can't believe your here! Oh, Gabi! I've missed you so much! Is it just you?" Sharpay's question was barely out when she felt a pair of small arms wrap around her.

"Kelsi!" The skinny blond breathed. "Troy!" She squealed his name, locking her arms around the guy friend who was like a brother to her. After releasing him, she saw Zeke and felt her eyes tear up.

Sharpay ran to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He securely lifted her up, his hands placed on the small of her back, as he twirled her around in a small circle. He placed a light kiss on her forehead before placing her back on the ground.

"I've missed you," Zeke murmured.

"Me, too," Sharpay replied with the smallest smile playing on her lips.

"Sharpay? We've got group," Colette called icily, peeking out from behind the door that led to the group therapy room.

The blond nodded once. "I guess you guys can wait here in the lobby till therapy is done." She flashed a quick smile before entering the large room.

"Thank you for joining us, Sharpay. Please sit down," Shelly instructed as soon as she entered the room. She made her way over to Colette and Adam and settled in between them.

"So, today we went to the beach. For a lot of you, this was a really big step. For a few of you, you still weren't comfortable enough to enter the water, but that's okay. Let's talk about your feelings today. How did you feel being exposed in a bathing suit in public?"

Amy, the young girl who Sharpay had seen on her first day here, raised her hand. To Sharpay, she looked healthy - much healthier then she had when Sharpay had first seen her - as she spoke. "I felt relieved. I thought it was so much...fun. I haven't had fun in a long time. For the first time in a long time, I felt beautiful." Tears began to well up in the thirteen-year-old's eyes. "Going into the water today, taking that step, made me feel free."

The stick moved throughout the room, to many different sets of hands. Finally, it landed in Sharpay's hands just after Adam finished speaking.

"You didn't go in the water today, correct?" Shelly asked. "Do you want to talk about why?"

For a few moments, Sharpay fidgeted with the feathers on the long talking stick, before shaking her head slowly. "No." With a sigh, she passed the stick to Colette, and listened to her friend talk.

"I, like Sharpay, didn't want to go in the water. We both shared the same reason why," Colette started, pausing only when Shelly interrupted with,

"What reason was that?"

"The reason was, we didn't want people looking at us like we were...fat or not pretty enough. Adam, of course, eventually convinced me to go into the water, even if he had to drag me. How did I feel? I felt very self-conscious, even though I _knew_ that no one was paying attention to me, it didn't matter. I was so worried that I was disgusting people. Like I was a joke. It was really hard to go out there today. And that's all."

Sharpay as stunned by Colette's honesty. She rested her head gently on her bubbly blond friend's shoulder and dazed off for the rest of group, itching to get out and see her friends.

;-;

An hour later, Sharpay sat at a long rectangle shaped lunch table. Kelsi and Colette flanked her, Adam sat at the end of the table to Kelsi's right, Troy across from Kelsi, Zeke across from Sharpay, and Gabriella sitting directly across from Colette who eyed her with a somewhat jealous gleam in her eyes.

"So, how's school?" Sharpay asked casually, taking a long sip from her cup of water.

"School is school," Troy responded with a shrug as he took an extremely large bite out of his burger, causing Sharpay to shudder, though only Colette and Adam noticed.

"Oh gosh, Shar! The spring musical is going to be terrible without you," Gabriella groaned, as Kelsi nodded in agreement. It took the blond a second to take in what they were saying, but quickly realized she wouldn't be back in time to participate in her junior year spring musical. The first musical she would miss in her throughout her entire elementary, middle, and high school education.

She breathed in very deeply and slowly, trying to keep herself from crying. "Who's replaced me?" She asked tightly.

"A ninth grader, Shar! A _ninth _grader," Kelsi said with an unpleasant tone. "It's her _first_ musical and she's just so immature for the role. And she wanted to change my compositions."

"She didn't," Sharpay said darkly. "_I'm_ the only one who's allowed to do that!" She added in a joking tone, causing her small friend to giggle.

"Ms. Darbus misses you. I mean that in the non-creepiest way, too," Zeke laughed. "Apparently, she misses you correcting her on various details on Broadway plays during her rants."

A small laugh escaped Sharpay. It was the first time she'd actually laughed in weeks. "Tell her I miss her, too." After putting a very small bite of spaghetti in her mouth, Sharpay realized she hadn't introduced everybody. "I totally spaced. Sorry. Colette, Adam," Sharpay gestured with her hands, "This is Gabriella and Kelsi, two of my best friends," she said, pointing her fingers at the two girls, "And this is Zeke and Troy. Troy's like my brother and Zeke's..." Sharpay hesitated, staring into his warm eyes. Adam looked back and forth between the two, a slight frown tugging on the corners of his lips.

"A really good friend?" Zeke offered with a smile.

"Yeah, that works." Sharpay concentrated on her food, which she wasn't eating much of anyways, as the conversation carried on.

"So, Adam, where are you from?" Troy asked with mild interest.

"California. Los Angeles, actually. Colette lives there, too."

This sparked Sharpay's interest. "You guys didn't tell me that. And I thought that's where you were on vacation, Co, when you were admitted into the hospital."

"It was," Colette explained. "First, Adam and I live on opposite sides of town so I didn't even know he lived there till we both came here. Second, I _was _on vacation. We went up to Sacramento."

"Oh," Sharpay breathed, a pang of jealousy hitting her stomach. They would be able to see each other all the time once they were out of rehab. "Continue."

"Do you play any sports?" Zeke asked with a friendly tone.

"I used to be a wrestler," Adam replied, matching Zeke's tone.

"Used to be?" Troy asked, confused for a moment. Adam made a show of motioning a hand at himself and at the room around him. "Oh...I see. Would you ever consider starting up again?" Gabriella smacked his arm, thinking he was being insensitive, but the thin, dark haired boy just chuckled.

"I'm not sure. I would love to because I was so good at it, and it was always really fun. But I think that temptation would _always_ be there and it would be just too much to handle."

"Hmm, good point," Zeke spoke plainly.

Gabriella was watching Sharpay intently as her best friend just picked at the food on her plate. She was here to get better, wasn't she? So why wasn't she eating? The brunette pushed the thoughts out of her mind for the moment, reminding herself to bring it up later.

"I mean this in the least offensive way possible," Troy started, facing Adam, "It's just, I've never heard of a guy having an eating disorder."

The thin, tan boy let out a humorless laugh. "It's more common in girls, yes, but men can develop them, too."

Sharpay was drifting in and out of the conversation, focusing most of her attention on her food. She'd barely picked at it, as she had done for the past few days, and was feeling slightly lightheaded. She was surprised that neither Adam or Colette brought up her lack of eating, but was also pleased that she was able to get away with it. It wasn't like she was hiding food, or purging. She was just restricting. It wasn't even her choice to have come to rehab, so she didn't care that she wasn't trying to get healthier.

The dizziness, however, was greatly effecting the sick girl's clarity. It was only a few minutes before lunch ended, and Sharpay was thankful when she was able to dump out her plate of food and head to her room. She walked quicker than everyone else, collapsing onto her bed as soon as she entered her dorm. The room was blurring in and out of focus as Gabriella entered the room, followed by Zeke.

"Sharpay?" Zeke's voice called out painfully and suddenly the room was black.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the long wait. Guys, I _need_ some inspiration. So, I'm asking you...what do YOU want to see happen in this story? For right now, I'm talking about the next few chapters. It would be lovely to have your input and make writing a lot easier and faster. Also, I want to know what you thought about this chapter. This chapter bubbled some new ideas in my mind, but please let me know what you want to happen and what you liked/disliked, input, anything. Anyways, I decided to do review replies...

**Pumpernickel Muffin:** Aw, thanks for the review. I've always thought I was rather terrible at writing angst, so thank you for saying I'm good at it!

**eileenprince:** One of your favorite chapters so far? Why thank you :). Yeah, I try to end all of my chapters with some sort of hook/clincher/cliffhanger type of thing, so I'm glad you liked the ending of the last chapter. Oh, and by the way, your pen name reminds me of Harry Potter. :)

**Tigger-Babe:** I see you've changed your penname :). Anyways, yeah...I guess I'm trying to make the story more..real/dramatic now. I'm sorry you were brought to tears towards the end, but I'm so glad you like the OCs.

**Stessa:** Your reviews are my favorite. Hah :). Best chapter so far? That's such a compliment! Yeah, I try to sneak my little hints of Sharpay/Adam in the chapters. Hmm, I wonder what's in store for them...they need a name though. Shardam? Adpay? Haha, those are bad names. It was hard for me to write all the angsty stuff with Ryan and Sharpay, but I think it turned out alright. Dude, we're so going to start working out our story/one-shot soon, k? Hope you are doing well!

**OMGIT'SHSM:** I love typing your pen name, by the way. :) Sorry for the long wait. Ugh, I've been super busy. Anyways, I guess this chapter answered your question...they didn't come down ON Sharpay's birthday, but they did come down.

**JoBro-JelsiLuver:** Aw, I didn't mean to make you cry. In a good way though, right? Haha, I hope my writing's not _that _bad. ;). Thanks for reading!

**Hopelessly-Romantic22:** Hannah, I love your reviews. :)

**mimi again!:** Ugh. I really don't know how I feel about last chapter. This might not make sense, but this is what I was trying to convey. Sharpay was opening up in group and everything right away because she realized she needed help. Also, Colette and Adam are her exact age and know what she's gone through; she's surrounded by people who have gone what she's gone through, so it was easy to open up with people who would understand. The thing about Ryan is that he _never _hated her. He was angry, mostly with himself, because he didn't want to believe she was sick and he didn't try and save her. Does that make sense? :) Well, thank you so much for reading! And I'm working on updating faster. :)

**Starship Gazer:** I know! I hate making Sharpay lose hope, but I have a few ideas. :) Keep reading and thanks for reviewing!

**hello:** Thank you for reading this story! And I know, I've been bad at updating. But I'm super super busy in the summer. I babysit a lot of the time, usually at night, right now I'm not free in the mornings and I'm usually doing stuff with my friends during the day, so I'm not home as much as I'd like to work on stuff. But when I get inspired, I right whenever I can, so hopefully they'll be more updates soon! :)

**cassieburleson: **Wow, you're AMAZING! You read all of Painfully Perfect in one day? Thank you! And I hope you liked it. Ugh, some of the earlier chapters, in my opinion, are really bad writing. I'd like to think I've progressed as a writer since then. Keep reading! :)

**Author's Note: **Sorry for any typos! I should be in bed cause I have driver's ed early tomorrow morning, but I've been finishing this chapter and such. :) Review please!


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** Some swearing in this chapter. You are all the best readers EVER.

* * *

"Sharpay?!" Zeke's voice broke through in the blond girl's mind, waking her up. The room soon came into view, as did six pairs of worried eyes. "Thank goodness!"

"I'm going to go get a nurse, Shar," Gabriella spoke suddenly, a sense of urgency filling her voice. Quickly grasping what she meant, Sharpay wrapped her skinny hand tightly around her best friend's wrist.

"You can't, Gabi. You _can't._ Please don't," Sharpay whimpered, a pleading look in her eyes.

"You barely ate a lunch! You're here to get better. Sharpay, you just passed out. You need someone to help you!"

"Nothing is wrong though! So what if I didn't eat much at lunch today? That's _one_ meal," the blond girl cried, leaving out the fact that she had skipped more than just that meal. "You can't get the nurses. Gabriella, please!"

Gabriella shook her head slowly, a look of sadness spreading across her face. "I have to!"

"Gabriella! If you do, I'll be hooked up to a tube or something. Please, please don't!"

Colette, her temper flaring and her tolerance lowering, was annoyed with the Filipino teen who was supposedly Sharpay's best friend. "Look! She said don't get a nurse, so don't get a nurse!"

"I don't know you, but don't yell at me. I'm trying to help my best friend here," Gabriella retorted sharply.

"If you were her best friend, maybe you'd listen to her!" Colette steamed.

"She just passed out, for your information. I don't really think I should just let her sit there!"

"Newsflash! _You _have never had an eating disorder! Alright?! So maybe you don't understand why Sharpay doesn't want you to get a doctor."

"Newsflash! _You _have had an eating disorder. So maybe I shouldn't take your word for it."

The room started spinning once again in front of Sharpay. The girls angry, fighting voices kept filling the room. Sharpay saw Zeke and Troy stand up, trying to break up the verbal fight that the girls were engaged in. Kelsi was watching nearby, not knowing what to do to help.

It happened very quickly. Sharpay's breathing became shallow, coming up in short gasps. Tears were spilling automatically down her face and she couldn't stop it. She felt like she was falling.

Zeke turned around, seeing the broken girl in pain. He moved, so that he could hold her in his arms and try and soothe her. But Adam had beaten him to it. He sat there, his arms wrapped protectively around Sharpay's small frames, one hand rubbing small circles on her back, the other gently wiping away her tears.

"It's okay. It's all going to be okay," Adam whispered with care. And in that moment, in the cold embrace of his arms, Sharpay believed him.

;-;

White blurred Sharpay's eyes as she woke up. Where was she? What time was it? She tried moving, but felt a sharp pain shoot up her arm. Glancing over, she saw an IV hooked up to her arm. Quickly, she understood that she was in the small ER wing of the rehab center, getting nutrients fed into her body unwillingly.

"Oh, _fuck_," the tiny blond hissed. A low chuckle met her ears. She glanced up to see the relaxed face of Zeke sitting across the room. His eyes were tense, but his expression was calm.

"You feeling alright?" He asked as he moved swiftly towards Sharpay, clasping his hand in hers.

"I'm fine. Why the fuck am I hooked up to a tube?!" Sharpay spat viciously.

To the annoyance of Sharpay, Zeke let out another small laugh.

"It's not funny!"

"I know, you just don't swear very often. It's quite amusing." The sick girl scowled, and Zeke just returned the look with a smile. "Troy, Gabriella, and Kelsi are waiting in your room."

"Colette and Adam?"

"Um, I think Colette is in an individual therapy session? Adam is waiting outside. He let me see you first."

The room was quiet and still for a minute as Sharpay sifted through her thoughts. Absentmindedly, Zeke was rubbing his thumb across the back of Sharpay's cold hand. "You don't like them." It wasn't a question, more of an accusation.

"That's not true."

"But you don't," Sharpay countered.

"I don't know them. Adam's an alright guy, Shar. Colette seems to have a temper, but can be sweet." Again, it was quiet, until Zeke laughed at something in his head.

"What's so funny?"

"It's nothing," Zeke replied nonchalantly.

"Then tell me," Sharpay whined.

"I think Adam likes you," the African American boy teased. "The way he just came to your rescue..."

Zeke's smile faltered when he saw that Sharpay looked uncomfortable. "He does?" His tone wasn't angry, but a mixture of disappointment and surprise. She just shrugged. "He doesn't? But, you like him?"

Sharpay shut her eyes, knowing he would read the panic in them. "No." She replied tightly. She opened her eyes again and asked, "Why am I in here? You ignored my question."

Avoiding the question again, Zeke asked thoughtfully, "Do you want to get better?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"I'm serious, Sharpay."

Sharpay wriggled her hand out of his grasp and crossed her arms across her chest. "You didn't answer my question," she whispered.

"I'm going to let Adam answer that."

"You're leaving?"

Again, Zeke ignored her question. "Sharpay, you're beautiful. You're the most stunning person I've ever seen in my life. I love you so much because of who you are, not just how you look. You're an amazing, beautiful person, inside and out. I don't understand why you do this to yourself. What makes it so appealing?"

Slowly, Sharpay shook her head. "Another time," she promised.

"I'm holding you to that," Zeke said with a smile.

"You're leaving?" She repeated.

Zeke nodded. "It's getting really late in the afternoon. We've got to be back by eight. But I will come and visit soon. I love you, Shar." He bent down, pressing his lips lightly on Sharpay's cold lips. "Talk to you soon."

Sharpay sighed sadly as Zeke left the room. She didn't have enough time to think through everything when Adam stalked slowly into the room, sitting in the vacant seat that Zeke had previously occupied. He looked much different in the chair than Zeke did. To Sharpay, he looked impossibly tiny.

"Are you alright?" Adam murmured with concern.

"I'm fine. I really _hate _that question. Why am I here?"

"Do you remember passing out after lunch?"

"Yeah," Sharpay mumbled, chagrin flushing her cheeks.

"You passed out about twenty minutes after that. Then you'd wake up every few minutes before slipping back into unconsciousness. I asked Gabriella to get a nurse."

"_You're_ the reason I'm here?" Sharpay growled, motioning to the room around her.

"Yeah, but something serious could have happened. I didn't want to see that." Sharpay was stunned by the honesty in his words. "You should only be in here overnight, though. Everyone was worried."

"Oh that's just so fucking great. I need everyone's pity."

"Not everyone is going to give you their pity. Some people are angry, because they really want to see you make progress, but you're so set against it."

"I'm not," Sharpay said too quickly.

Adam nodded, a frown playing on his lips. "You are. Don't think Co and I don't notice when you don't eat at lunch. We have eating disorders, too. We know the tricks."

"You don't know _anything_," she whispered darkly, staring at him.

Adam's eyes quickly became serious, piercing brightly into Sharpay's eyes. "Don't say that."

"Why?" Sharpay pressed.

Adam shifted uncomfortably in the chair, switching the subject. "So...you and Zeke?"

"You don't know about that, either."

"Then why don't you tell me?"

Sharpay scoffed. "I don't know. He loves me. I..."

"Love him?" The gaunt boy supplied.

"I don't know."

This seemed to brighten Adam's mood by a small fraction. He glanced up at the clock, and then a frown split his face. "I've got to go to therapy. I'll see you tomorrow morning at art therapy, I think." He stood up, and Sharpay shut her eyes, willing herself to slip back into sleep. It was quiet, so she thought Adam had left the room. Unsuspectingly, a pair of cold, thin lips were pressed against her forehead, and then the door was swinging shut before Sharpay could even open her eyes.

;-;

The night began to pass slowly, Sharpay drifting in and out of sleep. She had strange dreams involving both Adam and Zeke. The dreams alternated from her being with one boy and chasing after the other, never being able to reach him. Finally, she awoke around nine thirty when she heard her therapist's voice. Her eyes glanced at Mischa's face, reading the patience on it.

"Good evening, Sharpay," Mischa greeted, flashing her teeth with a smile. "So, what's been going on today?"

Sharpay rolled her eyes. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Have you been eating, Sharpay?"

"Yes," She snapped.

"I spoke with your vitals nurse, Maggie. She said your weight has dropped significantly. Do you realize in the past three days you've lost almost two pounds?"

"That doesn't mean I'm not eating," The angry blond argued.

"But it does mean you aren't eating _enough. _What's stopping you from getting better?"

The truth tumbled quietly out of Sharpay's lips, "I _really _hate being anorexic. I hate it! I hate having an eating disorder, having everyone monitor my _every _move. But, I hate the thought of gaining weight. So much more than starving myself."

"Why do you think you have a fear of gaining weight?"

"People like me better when I'm smaller. I feel prettier. I like when I see girls envying my body, how I look. It makes me feel so good. I just want people to love me, adore me."

"Do you realize that the girls who are envying you are being jealous of a lifelong battle with their weight? Of fainting spells, coldness, weakness, being sick, constantly? Those are the types of things that they are being jealous of, even though they don't realize it."

"It makes me feel happy," Sharpay mumbled.

"Why aren't you trying to get better?" Mischa asked casually, jotting notes down.

"Because, I just want to be skinny. That's all I want, but I keep getting food and fucking nutrients shoved down my throat and it's just making me bigger and bigger! I just want to be thin!" Tears betrayed Sharpay and they slipped furiously down her sunken face.

"I'll let you rest and I'll see you tomorrow, Sharpay. Good night," Mischa spoke sincerely, flashing one more smile before leaving the room. Protectively, Sharpay pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging them tightly, as she slowly cried herself to sleep.

;-;

The next morning, Sharpay awoke to the sun shining brightly across her room. A nurse came in soon after, removing the tube from her arm and then doing her vitals. Sharpay's weight was up half a pound, bringing it to 94.3.

She slipped back into her room quietly thinking about many things. As she hopped into the warm shower, she was worried about her weight. Mischa and her had decided two weeks ago that her healthy goal weight would be 110 pounds. That was over fifteen pounds that Sharpay had to gain, and that number just seemed much to big in her mind.

Her thoughts filled with Zeke as she rinsed the conditioner out of her hair. It was obvious that he truly cared for her, even to the point that he believed he was in love with her. Sharpay, however, couldn't bring her to feel that way back for many reasons. She thought that she wasn't pretty, smart, or skinny enough for Zeke, though she'd _never _admit that to him. Also, there was a small part of her that was holding her back. The young girl couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something in the way of her fully letting her feelings over to Zeke.

As she slipped on a pair of jeans that hung loosely off her hips and a much too big sweatshirt, her thoughts shifted to Adam. To Sharpay, it seemed like he genuinely cared about her, but she kept trying to convince herself that these thoughts were strictly friendship based. But then how come he had kissed her on the forehead last night? Why had he gotten mad when she said that he didn't know anything? It was too much for Sharpay to think about, but she had a slightly nagging feeling that Adam liked her as more than just a friend, although she'd never understand why.

It was still early as Sharpay crept quietly out of her shared bedroom and across the building to a small room where she had her first art therapy session. She was the first person there, besides the resident art therapist, Sharon.

Within a few minutes the other four patients were there, including Amy who offered a friendly smile as she sat next to Sharpay, and Adam. She felt a small sense of relief as she saw him enter the small room. However, he glanced at Sharpay quickly, before looking away and sitting across the room from her.

A confused expression crossed her face briefly as Sharon called attention to everyone. "Welcome, class. Today we are doing abstract family portraits. I want you to include yourselves and the members of your family in these pictures. Once you're done, we'll talk about them."

Sharpay stared blankly at the piece of paper in front of her, a freshly sharpened pencil in her hand. After a few minutes of thinking, she got to work. In the picture, she portrayed her mom as a large, flashy diamond ring in the shape of a heart. Her father was drawn as a stiff looking work suit. Depicting Ryan was more difficult than she thought. She drew him in the center of the picture as a large, gleaming trophy. With a colored pencil, she shaded in the trophy so that it was the first thing that people would be directed to when they looked at the picture. Finally, she drew herself. Placing the picture towards the bottom center, she drew a small ballerina.

Glancing around, Sharpay saw other patients were still drawing, but Sharon walked over, sitting down across from the blond.

"Finished, Sharpay?" She asked gently.

Sharpay nodded.

"Would you care to explain the picture?"

"Sure." People were finishing up as Sharpay began speaking, and they listened intently. "Well, I first drew my mom. She's a diamond ring because she loves having the best things, being the center of attention and being better than other people."

"Why do you think you drew it in the shape of a heart?"

"Well, because even though she's so absorbed with all the things that she, she still loves our family. She's our rock, keeping us together. I guess that's one of the reasons I drew it as a diamond."

"What's this supposed to be?" The therapist asked, pointing to the suit.

"My dad. I made it as smooth as possible. My dad works a lot and that's what he focuses on a lot of the time. I drew it as an expensive suit, because he cares so greatly about his image and our family's image and how that reflects off of him.

"And then I drew myself as the ballerina because I've danced my whole life."

"The ballerina often represents innocence and vulnerability, as well as other things. Do you think you feel that?" Sharon asked. Adam glanced up now, studying Sharpay's face. To him, she looked fragile for putting her emotions out for everyone to see. But he also thought she looked beautiful. As Sharpay's face tilted slightly towards his direction, he snapped his head back down, avoiding her eye contact.

Pulling her head back towards the therapist, Sharpay sighed. "Well, yeah. I've always danced, but I mostly took ballet when I was a little girl. I guess that would explain the innocence part. And I guess as a dancer, you're putting your work out for everyone to see and critique, which would explain the vulnerability. But...it also represents the stereotypes of dancers, too, I guess."

"Are you speaking of how dancers are so often portrayed as thin, beautiful and graceful?" Sharon supplied.

Sharpay nodded. "I feel like I can't live up to it."

"And this," Sharon pointed to the trophy, "who is this?"

"My twin brother, Ryan."

"Why did you only color him and place it in the center of the picture?"

Now everybody was staring at Sharon, Sharpay and the picture she had drawn, listening carefully with interest. Before speaking, Sharpay glanced at Adam, but he was still staring down at his picture, acting completely uninterested.

"He's always the best. That's why he's the trophy. And I colored it because it's flashy and it captures _everyone's_ attention. You get the prize if you're the best and everybody wants and looks up to that. My parents always compare me to Ryan, like he's better than me."

"Why do you have him in the center?"

"Because I feel like he's always getting my mom's attention, my dad's attention, our friend's attention."

"And do you think this relates to your eating disorder?"

Sharpay sighed deeply. "Yeah, a little I guess. We've always had an unspoken competition between us. We always wanted to top each other, be better than the other. We've always been twins and I guess we've always kind of shared an identity."

"Do you see that your shared identity relates to your eating disorder? That as your eating disorder began, you starting shifting into your own identity."

"Well, yeah. I guess I just wanted people to starting noticing _me_, instead of him or _us_."

"Thank you, Sharpay. That was very good." Sharon shifted her chair towards Amy, who began to share her picture. Again, Sharpay looked over at Adam, but he was still staring down at his paper stubbornly. Her gazed laid upon him for a few moments, before he looked up. She was expecting him to smile, but instead he narrowed his eyes with annoyance at her before focusing his attention on Amy. Sharpay groaned inwardly. What had she done _this _time?

* * *

**Author's Note: **The art therapy section was greatly inspired by Shelly's art therapy session in a deleted scene from the documentary THIN. It had an even bigger inspirational impact because Shelly herself is a twin. Review replies...

**boptothetop:** It's alright you didn't have any ideas, it made me happy that you even reviewed! :)

**JoBro-JelsiLuver:** Haha I'm undecided about who I want to be together...Adam and Sharpay or Zeke and Sharpay. Do you want to see how I pictured Adam? Search Chris Olivero on google images. That's basically how I see him, except when he used to have his really dark hair. :) Thanks for reviewing!

**Stessa:** I totally heart your reviews :) Hahah. Yes, we need to get to writing! I'm glad you liked the beach scene! In the documentary, THIN, they have a deleted scene where they go to the beach and it really showed that even if they're progressing, they still feel self conscious. It was fun to be able to write everyone coming up! They'll be in the story more, I expect. Yay! I'm glad you like Adam and Sharpay! I've got a few ideas about the whole Sharpay/Adam/Zeke thing. Haha. Yeah, they're couple names aren't that cute though. I totally enjoyed your ideas and thank you for offering some! :) I think the reason why it's been hard to write for this story is cause I've lost some ideas, and I don't have as strong of an interest in HSM anymore, but I'm putting in my best effort for this story. Haha, thanks for reviewing :)

**Hopelessly-Romantic22:** Aw, Hannah, you're very sweet in your reviews. Thanks for leaving one!

**zacxsadz:** Thanks for reading! I'm glad you liked Painfully Perfect. That was my first full length story, and I loved writing it.

**padfootvfd:** TOTALLY loved your suggestions. I actually thought of the Colette and Gabi jealousy one myself. It makes me happy that my readers and I can think alike about certain things. Haha :) Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**giantzacface:** I'm pretty sure I won't be deleting this. Thank you so much for your suggestions! And yes, I agree...there needs to be a different conflict because it'll be too much like Painfully Perfect if I don't have one. And yes, I will be adding more of the HSM characters into it. :)

**autumnamberleaves: **Haha, I take you like Ryan? Thank you so much for sharing your ideas!

**BlackBeauty613:** Thank you so much for your review Rachel! Your ideas were very clever. I think I might actually use a point from one of them. :)

**Pumpernickel Muffin:** OH my gosh, thank you for mentioning Sharpay falling behind. I hadn't thought about that for awhile...before I started writing this, I was like "How am I going to have Sharpay keep up with her schoolwork?" But I'd forgotten about it since then. Thank you for bringing it up. I'm going to try to start adding that in a bit in upcoming chapters I think :)

**Starship Gazer:** Thanks for reviewing! I do not think I will be deleting this...at least for now. Haha!

**cassieburleson:** Do you like Adam?! Oh gosh, I love his character (but that may be due to the fact that I'm in love with Chris Olivero, who I have Adam portrayed by) and I want to develop it more, but I've never jumped around with perspectives in my writing. I kind of want to try it, but don't know if I should, if I'd like it, or if I'd be any good at it. Haha. But, I love when people like my OCs. Haha :) Thank you for reviewing!

**OMGIT'SHSM:** For now, I'm not deleting this story. Thank you so much for your review though! It makes me happy that you like my story. Hah :)

**MiseryLuvsDeath:** Thanks for reviewing and reading!

**Author's Note:** I've realized I use wayyyy too many smileys. Anyways..review please! :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: **You guys have no idea how hard this has been for me.

I feel **SO** terrible. School has eaten up most of my time and tonight was my FIRST night of the entire school year with no homework. So, I wrote this chapter.

Please, if you're reading, leave a **review.** I need to know what people are thinking. Gosh, I've missed my readers! How have you all been?!

* * *

At lunch that afternoon, Colette and Sharpay sat at their usual table. Adam, however, was sitting at a table across the lunchroom with Amy and a younger boy named Shale.

"What's his problem?" Sharpay huffed, taking a large bite out of her pepperoni pizza.

Colette turned around, searching for Adam, and then turned back to Sharpay. "What do you mean?"

"He completely ignored me during art therapy," she replied, sipping on her apple juice.

"Not sure. Just being a boy? Maybe something is going on with his disorder. Don't take it personally. We all have our bad days, Shar." Colette smiled at her reassuringly. "Anyways, how _was _art therapy?"

"Alright. I'm no artist, but it gave me a lot of insight about my disorder."

"Ha, I'm with you there. I couldn't even make a finger painting look good. But, it helps," the tan blond giggled.

"Everything is distorted, isn't it?"

Colete tapped her lip thoughtfully. "I guess. The ways we view ourselves, others, the things people say; the list goes on forever."

Sharpay nodded, finishing her salad. "Just so you know, I'm working on getting better. I'm trying now, instead of just rejecting it all."

"Shar! I'm so glad!" Colette stood up, running around to hug her friend. Sharpay embraced her warmly, a smile on her face. As Colette sat back down, Sharpay could have sworn Adam was staring at her, but when she looked back at him, he was staring down at his food.

-

"Okay class, let's talk about your next project!" East High's old health teacher, Ms. Smith, spoke happily. "Split into groups of four and then I'll give you details."

Taylor, Troy, and Zeke quickly sat down next to Ryan, claiming their group. "This will be easy," Zeke laughed to his friends.

"It's health. Obviously it'll be easy," Troy said with a large grin.

"I wonder what we're doing!" Taylor pondered eagerly.

"Okay, settle down," the teacher spoke again. "Now, I have different topics in this bucket. You're group will pick one slip. From there, you will research your project for the rest of this week. We'll start presentations next week. You will share the information with the class by making a powerpoint. Let's pick!"

A boy on the basketball team in another group reached his hand into the bucket and grabbed a small slip of paper. "Brain tumors."

This pattern followed as each group got their topic. Finally, the bucket was presented to Ryan. He moved his hand around and pulled out a piece of paper. The smile that had been on his face quickly disappeared.

"You've got to be kidding me," he whispered.

Troy took the paper out of his hands and read the two words. "Ms. Smith, can we switch topics?"

"Mr. Bolton, that wouldn't be fair to the rest of the class. You'll take what you chose."

"I know. But, please?"

"You can either do your project or take an 'F'. That's final. Class, let's head to the library to start research."

"What's our topic?" Taylor asked eagerly, grabbing the slip of paper. "Ooh."

Zeke took the paper from Taylor's hand, his curiosity burning. "We're doing our project on eating disorders?!"

"Just. My. Luck." Ryan groaned as they left the classroom.

-

"Opening night is in three and a half weeks! We have a lot of work to be done. I'm afraid that if rehearsals don't get better this week, we'll have to cancel the spring play," Ms. Darbus said dramatically, with a hint of sadness, at the cast.

"You're not _serious_, Ms. Darbus? Are you?" Kelsi inquired.

She nodded gravely. "I'm afraid so."

"But, East High has never canceled a show before!" Ryan exclaimed.

"Maybe you all should try harder then. Like me," the ninth grader, Abby, who replaced Sharpay, snapped.

Gabriella rolled her eyes at Troy, who shared a look with Ryan, who made a face to Kelsi. Was a ninth grader really trying to tell them how to run _their_ show?

"Maybe if _you_ could hit the note in the chorus of the third scene," Gabriella mumbled under her breath.

"And stopped trying to change my compositions just because _you_ can't sing," Kelsi added with annoyance.

"Or if she could remember her cue. How hard is it to come onto stage when you're name is called?" Troy growled.

"I wish Sharpay was here," Ryan sighed.

"Me too," Kelsi, Troy, and Gabriella sighed along with their friend.

"It's just not the same without her," Gabriella whispered.

"_See! _This is why we don't get anything done! _You _guys just sit around doing nothing! Ugh, I can't work like this," Abby screamed dramatically.

It was going to be a long rehearsal.

-

The day continued just as it had started; Adam thoroughly ignored Sharpay, much to her annoyance. As they walked into therapy, they brushed shoulders, but Adam just walked to the other side of the room casually before taking a seat by Shale again. Sharpay took her usual seat by Colette and therapy began.

"Welcome Community. How are things going today?" Shelly asked with a bright smile.

The common phrases like 'good', 'okay', and 'fine' sounded throughout the room.

"Who would like to start today?" Shelly asked. Amy raised her hand slowly, waiting for the stick to reach her hands.

"Hi everyone," Amy smiled. "As a few of you know, I'm being released in three days. I'm really excited because I'm glad to be home and with my friends and family. But, I'm nervous that I'm not going to be in this structured setting. I don't want to fall back into my old habits. So, I'm asking for encouragement as I prepare to leave."

Colette raised her hand for the stick and then spoke. "First, I'm so happy for you Amy. I knew you could get through this. You've been here longer than I have and you were still really sick when I first saw you. But, over the past few weeks I've seen you get healthier and happier and I couldn't be more excited for you. I know that once you get home you'll be supported by the people in your life and that you'll be able to get through anything."

Sharpay raised her hand, and Shelly nodded as Colette passed the stick. "So, as of today, I'm going to _try_ to get better. Art therapy really helped me this morning and I've realized that I need to change to become healthier. So I guess I'm asking for support over the few days as I start trying to progress."

"Well, I know that both Amy and Sharpay have my support and a lot of support from the Community," Shelly spoke kindly. Then, Tess raised her hand and within a few moments she had the stick.

"Amy, I am very happy for you. But, Sharpay. I don't feel like I can offer you support. I know this is really hard, but it seems like since you've been here you've just been constantly rejecting help, and not following the rules, and complaining, and freaking out...you're setting a bad example for everyone else here. I mean, skipping meals? Seriously? I can't offer support, and I'm very sorry for that. But, the way you're acting seems childish to me. You're not the only one here who's been through this, but that's how you act. It's selfish. I just can't offer you support right now. I'm sorry."

Shale, the young boy who Adam had been hanging out with today, spoke after Shale. "I've only been here a few days, but the first day I came in you were hospitalized Sharpay. I don't know you very well, but it's hard for me to offer support, too, when you're not trying to get better."

"But I didn't asked to be sent here!" Sharpay burst, not bothering to wait for the talking stick.

"Does that matter? Why don't you try to get better for your parents, or your friends, or your siblings? What about them?"

"It's my body," the blond girl retorted, tears falling down her face.

"But your disorder effects everything and everyone around you! If this disease kills you, do you think that everyone would just go along like everything is fine? No! It effects their lives too!"

"And that's why I'm trying to get better now!"

Amy was the one who spoke now, instead of Shale. "Sharpay, what do you want to do when you're older?"

"Sing or act. Why? How is that relevant?"

"Your purging will ruin that for you. You're restricting will make acting unbearable for you. Think about what will happen in the long run. I've been where you are and I know it's hard. But, you have to try."

"I _am! _Don't any of you get that?!"

"You can just say that, Sharpay. You have to show that you're trying," Tess said.

"I haven't purged in weeks! I've skipped only five meals! I am trying!" Sharpay hollered.

"Why haven't you started sooner? I _know_ it's a struggle. But, I have kids. I imagine if one of my girls had an eating disorder. It would _kill _me. And if I knew that she wasn't trying her hardest, always, to try and get better, I don't know what I would do," Tess cried. "Do you understand that?"

"I know it's hard! I am trying! I've _been_ trying! But I just want to be thin!!" Sharpay screamed! "I want to be thin. I just want to be thin!" Colette was holding the rocking, crying girl and Ali, an older patient, held Sharpay's hand.

"Community is over for now," Shelly stated plainly, walking over to Sharpay. Some people left, some stayed sitting in shock and silence.

Colette glanced around the room as she rubbed small circles on her friend's back. As she looked around, she couldn't believe her eyes when she saw Adam get up and leave. But what shocked her even more was when she saw his face glistening with tears as the back of his hand wiped them off.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Okay. Review? Please? Did you like this chapter? Yes? No? Why or why not? Please review. I need to know people are still interested in this story. And I've missed you all!


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: **Blehhhhh. I hope you like this (: Please, please, pretttttty please...review?

* * *

The tiny, blond girl was in a large room with cream colored walls surrounded by about a dozen adults. They sat in a half circle in front of her and she sat in a large, comfy red chair across from them.

"Hello Sharpay. I am Anya and I am the owner of this rehabilitation center. Usually we meet with our patients a few times during their stay to talk about their progress, any problems or setbacks that may be occurring and various other items. It seems today there was an outburst during Community. Is that correct?" The severe looking woman with dark brown hair asked.

"I guess," Sharpay replied calmly.

"Shelly, can you please explain what happened?" Anya directed her question towards the polite group therapist.

"Sharpay had asked for some support in the next few days because she was really going to try to make some progress. A few members told her that they couldn't offer her support and things kind of blew up from there. Some harsh things were directed at Sharpay. Then, she started crying and I guess you could say she broke down a little bit."

"Pam, how has Sharpay's vital checks been?" Anya asked the nurse.

"Her vitals are good. Her heartbeat is still a little low. He weight has fluctuated a little bit, actually. She gained nearly five pounds, then lost about one and half. She's gained back about a half a pound. There haven't been any markings on her back, legs, or arms."

"Mischa, I don't need specifics because I'm not going to deny psychiatrist/patient confidentiality, but how is therapy?"

"Sharpay and I have been making some progress. I'd like to make more. We've just gone over a few basic things, but Sharpay has exhibited strong signs of depression. I prescribed her to Cymbalta and she's been on that for about a week and half. I also feel like she has a bit of an overwhelming sense of anxiety. Perhaps she she be on a small dosage of Xanax. Or I could take her off of Cymbalta and put her on Lexapro. That would cover the depression and anxiety."

"How are things for you, Sharpay? Do you feel comfortable here?"

"I'm fine. I like it here, I guess."

"How about the people?"

"I'm friends with a lot of people here. I've gained close relationships with a couple of people. Some people I've never talked to. Staff seems nice."

"Do you feel like this environment is helping you gain progress in battling your eating disorder?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean?" Anya inquired.

"I think everything here is helping me. I just have to give that much back, put myself _into _all the things that are trying to help me."

"First, I'm glad that you allowed your true feelings to come out today in Community. I think that was a good thing for you that will help allow you to overcome one step of this battle that you're fighting. But, we need to try and remain structured, so don't make a habit of it." Anya smiled and her face looked strange after seeming so daunting to Sharpay. "Second, I'm going to put you on a small dosage of Xanax along with the Cymbalta and we'll see how that works out. It is possible that eventually you may be just on Lexapro, but for now you'll stay on Cymbalta and Xanax. Mischa, I'm also going to increase her dosage of Cymbalta a bit because her depression still seems strong."

"Okay," Sharpay whispered with a small voice.

"Okay, thank you. I hope to see you soon after making some good progress."

Sharpay stood up awkwardly and walked out of the room, heading toward the cafeteria for dinner.

-

"What is your problem?" Colette demanded at Adam at dinner. He had been sitting at a table by himself when Colette sat down angrily.

"What are you talking about, Co?" Adam questioned, sounding annoyed, as he took a bite out of his spaghetti.

Colette made a face at him. "You know what I mean. You've been ignoring Sharpay all day. And me too, for that matter."

"I don't have a problem, Colette," Adam mumbled, looking away from her.

"Well what's wrong? Talk to me, please. You're one of my best friends."

"Coco, everything is fine. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Adam. Please," She begged.

"Later, okay? Here comes Shar. Go sit with her."

"You're not going to sit with us?"

"Not tonight. I'll talk to you later, though. Go." Adam gave Colette a small smile as she walked away.

Sharpay looked up at Colette as she sat down with her tray of food. "You were talking to Adam?"

"Yeah, and he's being a boy. He won't talk to me. But, how are you?" Colette asked warily.

"Fine. I had to go talk with the counselors and staff. It wasn't fun. I'm on meds for depression and anxiety now. I'm so fucked up," Sharpay groaned, trying to eat her meal.

"We all have problems, but we just need to learn from them and grow."

Sharpay shook her head. "I'm trying to do that. And everyone yells at me for it. I wish I was at home."

"I want to be home, too, Shar. But for now, everything is okay," Colette replied, trying to brighten Sharpay's mood.

"Will you hold my hand? I don't think I can eat dinner," Sharpay whimpered. If anyone back at home saw Sharpay like this, they wouldn't believe it was the same girl. Her hair was piled on top of her head, she didn't wear any make-up at the moment, and her eyes were filled with vulnerabilty. It was rare to see her without confidence, and right now she looked completely vulnerable and broken.

"Of course. We'll do it together, okay?" Colette grasped Sharpay's cold hand tightly in hers as they took their first bite.

-

After dinner, Sharpay had an individual therapy session with Mischa. So she quickly said goodbye to Colette and went on her way. Colette waited until Sharpay was completely out of the room before skipping over to Adam, hooking her arm with his.

"Why hello best friend," the sunny blond said in a sing-song voice.

"Hi my little annoying dear," he replied jokingly.

"Would you like to talk to me now? Shar's at therapy so she won't be back for awhile."

Adam sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Sure."

The two friends walked arm in arm to Colette's dorm, plopping down on her bed as soon as they reached it.

"So, what's going on?" Colette spoke seriously.

"Co...I purged yesterday." The dark haired boy quickly buried his face in his hands in shame.

Her face was covered in shock. "Adam. Oh, why?"

"I don't know. I really don't. I talked to my therapist about it, but I just can't figure out why I did it."

"Why are you freezing out Sharpay then?"

"When she was in the hospital, I feel like I said a bunch of things that I shouldn't. And I think she really likes Zeke and I don't want to get hurt. I just want her to be happy. And this afternoon I felt so bad when everyone was ganging up on her in group. All I wanted to do was yell at them to stop and wrap her up in my arms and take away all her pain. And I just sat there like an idiot and for goodness sakes I started crying and--"

"Adam, stop," Colette said quickly, putting her hand up to halt his rant. "It's okay. Please don't stress yourself out." Adam took a deep breath, trying to relax. "What do you feel like you shouldn't have said?"

"I don't know. I was too intense. You know how I get. But, when Zeke was looking at her and the way she acts around him...I don't know." He let out a frustrated sigh.

"You sound jealous," Colette teased with a laugh. But her laughter faded a little when he didn't laugh along with her.

"Co, I think I love her," Adam whispered after a few minutes. Suddenly, Colette and Adam's heads twisted towards the dorm door as they heard it hit the wall bedroom's wall, revealing Sharpay in the doorway.

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**Author's Note: **The chapters should start getting longer soon. This is basically just a filler chapter, sorry. I didn't read through for mistakes, so sorry! Point them out and I can fix them if you see any! Thanks (:

Okay, I'm going to do review replies next chapter (so you should review!) because right now I'm going to go watch Hugh Laurie on SNL. I love him. Haha. Review? :D


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: **Oh, enjoy! I wrote this quick because I wanted to put something up. So quick apology for any rushed parts and/or typos. Dang, I miss you guys! Review replies at the bottom, and make sure to read my author's note, too... (:

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"Sharpay!" Adam croaked out in shock. "What are you doing?"

Sharpay cocked her head to the side and stared at him quizzically. "Did you just...?"

"Aren't you supposed to be a therapy?" Colette cut in.

The blond stood still by the door and shook her head slowly. "No, Mischa had an emergency call. But..."

"Oh, well, look at the time," Adam said awkwardly, standing up and rubbing the back of his neck.

"No. Sit." Colette pushed her friend back down onto the blue comforter while motioning for Sharpay to sit across from Adam. "Now, you two are going to talk and you're going to figure out what's going on and I'm going to go...I'm just going to go. Neither of you are to leave until you sort this out!" Colette smirked and stalked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Adam's face slowly turned red. "How much did you hear?"

"Nothing. I had just walked into the door... Unless you're referring to when you said you loved me?" Sharpay looked up slowly.

The red on the boy's face became more pronounced as he let out a long sigh. "Yeah." He mumbled, letting it trail off.

After a few minutes of awkward silence. Then, Sharpay grabbed Adam's hand. She could feel the scars on his fingers when she rubbed them. They matched hers. "I like you, Adam. A lot."

"But?" He asked, knowing there was more.

"I really, _really_ like you. But, I don't want to start anything while I'm in rehab. My sole priority right now is to get better. And I have to do that before I can do anything else."

Adam smiled widely, sitting himself next to her, but never letting go of her hand. "Sharpay, I think you're one of the biggest reasons why _I've_ gotten better. You've made me realize that there is so much to life. And I want to try to be that for you."

"I think you are." She smiled at him, then rested her forehead against his, savoring the moment.

-

It had been a couple of weeks since Sharpay had left, so Ryan's friends were no longer watching out for him all the time. That's why it had taken this long for Ryan to hear what people were saying.

He was walking down the hallway on his way to second period when he heard a group of guys talking. The only reason he stopped in his tracks is because he heard them say his sister's name.

"Yeah, I heard the ice queen was sent away. Her parents probably hated her as much as everyone else," One of the boys snickered.

"Dude, that's not true. I heard she overdosed on painkillers and had to go to the hospital. She's been in a psych ward ever since!"

"I'm pretty sure she realized nobody liked her and has dropped out of school. I wouldn't be surprised if she was selling herself on street corners for cash," The tallest and biggest of the boys, Mike, laughed.

That pushed Ryan over the edge. He turned on his heel and marched right up to the tallest boy, his face inches away from Mike's. "Don't you ever talk about my sister again."

"Ha, and what are you going to do about it pretty boy?" He laughed, slapping Ryan lightly on both cheeks.

His cheeks became flushed as his anger heightened. "Shut your mouth."

"You and your sister are messed up. The_E_vans twins___!_ The faggot and the slut!" The group of boys around him laughed. The word he had called Ryan didn't bug him as much as the word he had called his sister.

"You don't fucking know anything. You're just a stupid jerk!" With all the strength he could muster, Ryan threw his fist right into the side of Mike's jaw.

Mike grabbed the side of his face, laughing darkly. "You shouldn't have done that." He grabbed Ryan by the shirt and rammed his fist into his eye. Suddenly, Ryan was on the ground being beaten on by three boys much larger than him and a crowd was gathering around them.

"Hey! Get off of him!" Troy's voice suddenly sounded as he, Chad, and Zeke came running up the staircase. They pushed through the crowd and saw Ryan. They struggled to pull the three boys off and the fight escalated. Ryan was laying still on the ground as the other six boys started pushing each other around.

"That is enough!" Principal Matsui yelled. The fight stopped instantly. "___Ev_erybody to class, now! You boys, my office. Now!"

The crowd dispersed quickly and the seven boys followed their principal in silence. Troy fell in step with Ryan, who was clutching his face in pain. "You okay?" He mouthed. Ryan just nodded his head jerkily. Mr. Matsui told the secretary to excuse these boys from class as he directed Mike and his friends into his office.

"You four, wait here." The door slammed with a resounding thud. The nurse called them into her office to check out their wounds.

"Ryan. I never thought I'd see _you_ in a fight," She said with a small, disapproving chuckle. "Well, your eye is going to bruise pretty badly. Let's get some ice for that lip." She scooped some ice into a plastic bag, wrapped it in a paper towel and handed it to the small blond boy. "You boys okay? Chad, let me grab you a band-aid for that cut on your cheek." Zeke and Troy waited for their friends to be tended to before the four of them returned to the four chairs in the lobby.

"What happened Ryan?" Chad asked wearily.

Ryan put on a front, acting as tough as he could. "Nothing."

"Come on, you can talk to us," Zeke reminded him.

"Nothing happened."

Troy looked at one of his best friends. "Ryan, you've been through a lot lately and we've been here. So just talk to us now."

"Why didn't you guys tell me people were talking about Sharpay? _Still _talking about her?" His resolve was fading and his voice contained a hint of pleading.

"Ryan, you've just got to ignore what they say. People are always going to talk."

The door opened revealing the three boys, who didn't look like they had a single scratch among them, and Mr. Matsui. "I hope this helps you learn a lesson. I'll be calling your parents shortly. Your suspension will begin tomorrow. Three days boys. Bolton, Evans, Danforth, Baylor. My office."

They filed in and took their seats. "Now, who would like to explain to me what happened?"

Troy, Chad, and Zeke all looked at Ryan who was staring at his hands. He sighed, realizing he'd have to talk eventually. "Mike and his friends were saying stuff about my sister. And me. So, I tried to punch Mike. And then they all started beating me up. Then Troy, Chad, and Zeke saw and tried to break it up."

"Ryan," Mr. Matsui started. "I am disappointed that you would resort to violence to solve a problem. But, I know you've been through a lot lately. You are all going to receive one week of after school detention. Starting today."

"No! Coach is going to be so mad," Chad groaned.

"Dude, I'm worried about Darbus," Troy whimpered.

-

**_Two Weeks Later_**

"Sharpay, I am so impressed. You've made such tremendous progress," Mischa said as soon as Sharpay was sitting down. "You're up to 114 pounds; just one pound away from your goal weight. I am so proud of you."

Sharpay looked visibly healthier, and she felt healthier, too. Her face was no longer sunken in and there was a spark in her eyes. She was glad that the pain was gone and that she felt, somewhat, normal again.

"Do you think you'll be ready to return home at the end of this week?" Mischa asked, more seriously now.

Sharpay looked at her hands before facing her therapist. "I know it will be hard. But, I feel so much better. I feel stronger. And I'll have the support of my friends and family. I actually think I'll be okay. It's been a long time since I've felt like that."

Mischa smiled. "We've just got to fill out some paper work, but it looks like you'll be discharged this coming Friday afternoon. Along with both Colette and Adam."

The blond smiled widely. "They've both made such tremendous progress and have helped me so much with mine. I'm so happy for all of us. It's going to be weird not seeing them everyday."

"It's obvious for anybody here to see what close friendships you three have made. It's important to maintain these friendships, especially because you three once shared a terrible burden. You all can relate because you know what's going on, what the others have been through."

"I'm going to be so happy to return home."

"And you know, everybody is always here if you need support, therapy, anything. If things get rough, you'll give us a call?"

She nodded, honestly.

"So, Sharpay. How have you been feeling since we've taken you off of both the Xanax and Cymbalta?" Mischa questioned.

"Great," Sharpay started. "I'm glad I'm not dependent on the drugs right now to make me feel happy or whole. I'm in a good place."

"It seems like everything is going wonderfully. Well, there's not much else for us to talk about. I'll see you tomorrow," the psychologist spoke politely, opening the door for her patient. Sharpay left the room and wandered down the hall until she reached the cafeteria. She quickly got her food and sat down with Colette and Adam.

"Hi beautiful," Adam smiled, bumping his shoulder with hers.

"Hi yourself," She responded, starting on her food. It wasn't hard for Sharpay to eat anymore. Sometimes, in the back of her head, she noticed how much she ate, but for the most part she could just eat and not worry about it.

"I can't believe we're all leaving on Friday. That's in just four days," Colette stated with a hint of sadness. "I'm going to miss you guys so much."

"Oh, hush," Sharpay joked. "At least you and Adam will be able to hang out. I'm going to be here in New Mexico without _either_ of you."

"Then we'll just have to come visit you," Adam stated matter-of-fact.

"And you have to come visit for spring break! You can stay with me, I'm sure," Colette offered, accompanied by her glowing smile.

"I can't wait. But, let's just enjoy our last few days together. I'm going to miss you guys more than you know."

"I'm going to miss seeing _you_ everyday. And I'll miss my little Cocoa bear!" Adam laughed, looking at his two best friends.

"We'll call. We'll e-mail. We'll text. We'll stay in touch. And everything will be okay," Sharpay spoke plainly.

"I'm so proud of all of us. Look at how far we've come," Colette pointed out.

"I'm so happy to be able to say that my life isn't run by my eating disorder anymore," Adam said. "Not worrying about purging, what I'm eating...It's one of the greatest feelings in the world. To just not care. To just _be."_

"I couldn't agree more," Sharpay smiled, resting her head on Adam's shoulder and giving Colette's hand a squeeze.

-

The atmosphere around the Evan's household was the brightest it had been since Sharpay left. Everything was being put in order for Sharpay's homecoming. The house was spotless, the refrigerator stocked with all sorts of food, all the laundry done and folded. The whole family seemed happier, too.

Despite the fact that Ryan had had detention for an entire week to weeks ago, he had finally come to terms with his feelings about Sharpay and her eating disorder. He truly believed that everything was going to be alright again. Both of his parents were happy, too. They were humming around the house and he knew that they couldn't wait for Sharpay to come home either. It just wasn't the same without her. They could all get by with their day to day activities and distractions, but it was like things just weren't whole with her gone.

Their last family therapy session had gone wonderfully. There were no flying accusations or hateful words thrown around. The discussion had been about everybody's feelings with what had gone on, and the honesty was heart-wrenching, but they all needed to hear it. They also talked, with help from Mischa, about what it was going to be like once Sharpay returned home. Mischa pointed out that things couldn't be the way they were before, or Sharpay would slip back into her old habits quickly.

They came up with a list of things that would be done around the house to include everyone and to make sure Sharpay was eating properly. Although she had made so much progress, many patients were prone to slipping back into their eating disorders almost immediately after returning home. So, everybody would take turns cooking once a week. On the other three days, Sharpay would cook with the aid of one other family member. This was just one of the many options from the list that they had come up with.

Everyone, Mischa, Sharpay, Ryan, Allyson, Michael, Sharpay's friends, Colette, and Adam, hoped that things were going to stay consistently well for Sharpay. And right now, it seemed like everything would be.

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**Author's Note: **Longest chapter I believe! YAY! I'm so proud (: Almost 3,000 words. Haha anyways... Although I rarely have time, I cannot wait to start the next chapter. I apologized if this is rushed. I've been working on it for the past three hours and it's now almost two in the morning. But I'm just so happy she's out of rehab because I was so stuck on what to write. But, I can't wait to keep writing. Anyways, please please **please**** review** (what you liked, didn't like, suggestions, things I could work on, etc. Plus! How are you doing? What have you been up to?)? Love you guys!

**Review Replies ****(from th****e last chapter only):**

**charmarctravis:** Sorry for the long update periods! Ugh, school is so stressful.

**Stessa:** I'm glad you enjoy the Adam/Sharpay relationship. I'm in dire need of motivation and inspiration for this story. How are you?

**Pumpernickel Muffin:** I didn't even realize how short I cut Sharpay's therapy time. So, you helped me out there. I made it so Mischa had an emergency..as you can tell. Haha. Thanks for reading! And sorry, I don't think I'll still be doing the project scene with Ryan, Taylor, Troy and Zeke. But, it'll come into play later!

**daydreamer299:** Thanks for reading and reviewing :)

**BlackBeauty613:** Yep, trying to work my love triangle into this mess I'm calling a story. Haha. Thanks for reviewing and for the encouragement! Hope you're well!

**OMGIT'SHSM:** I love your reviews. Sorry for the distinct lack of updates. Review? :)

**plasticlittleplastic:** I'm sorry it's made you cry! I hope that's a good thing. Thanks for reading. I hope you stick with this story :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: I decided to login the other day and I saw that I still had this document up! I thought I had posted it awhile back, but I guess not. So, I ran through and edited it and added some things. I hope that I still have interested readers. Ah, I'm so sorry you guys. :( Review?  
**

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The three friends sat waiting, holding hands, for their parents to arrive and take them home. The past few days had been a fast blur, and they were all sad to have to say goodbye. Sharpay had finally hit her goal weight, something she'd been striving toward for weeks. Colette was three pounds over her goal, and Adam was back to a healthy weight, four pounds over his ideal weight.

For Sharpay, her eating disorder had finally become commonplace. She could talk about; she had accepted it for what it was and dealt with it one day at a time. Her breakdown a few weeks back had been a major wake up call for her. After family therapy sessions, she saw what a toll it had taken on her family, and more significantly, Ryan. She could see the sadness in his eyes when he looked at her weak, emaciated frame. But, she was healthier now and couldn't wait to see him again.

For Colette, who had been battling her eating disorder for nearly five years, she was slightly nervous to return home. This was her first time going to rehab, instead of just being hospitalized for a week or so. It helped her improve and realize how destructive her eating disorder was. But, there were underlying issues she still buried inside. Like what triggered her eating disorder. She couldn't deal with her family or friends bothering her about it, so she ignored how it affected them, even during the time she had spent here. That was one of the hardest things she had yet to face. So, even though she was at a healthy spot right now, she had no idea what the future would hold. It didn't matter that she always appeared to be happy because her confidence was nowhere near where it should've been to be leaving rehab, bu she didn't want to appear weak.

For Adam, he felt so much stronger. He felt free, like he could do anything. He was no longer trapped down by his disorder, battling with every bite he took, wondering whether or not he should purge it. Although he was no longer supposed to join wrestling, he didn't care. He realized that he was unique all his own, and he was wrong when he thought he was always going to be in his brothers' shadows. It struck him hard that it took his eating disorder for him to acknowledge this, but he felt thankful that he wouldn't have to go through that terrible process again. He was perfectly happy with himself now and wouldn't change that feeling for anything.

Sharpay's mom, Colette's older brother, and Adam's dad all arrived within ten minutes of each other. It was finally time to go.

As their family members went to go fill out some final paper work, the three friends started to say their goodbyes. Colette hugged Adam tightly, tears glistening in her eyes. "I'm going to miss you, brother. But we'll see each other soon and I'm texting you both the minute I get out of here. You're not getting rid of me yet," She laughed, it breaking slightly.

"You're the best little sister, Co! And you're perfect the way you are, don't forget that. I'm going to miss you, too, even though we're across town from each other," Adam said, squeezing her tightly. She smiled at him and kissed his cheek before quickly embracing Sharpay.

"You're one of the best friends I've ever had. I'm going to miss you so much, Sharpay. I literally cannot wait to see you again," the bubbly girl spoke sincerely, tears dripping from her cheeks now. "I'm so proud of you."

Sharpay's lip quivered as she hugged tightly to Colette. "We'll talk all the time. You've helped me so much while I've been here. I don't think I could've made it to where I am without you." They pulled apart and Colette stood their as Adam and Sharpay said their goodbye.

Adam looked into Sharpay's eyes before pulling her closely to him. "You're so beautiful, Shar. Let it shine so everyone can see. I can't wait to see you again. You have no idea how much I'll miss you."

"I'm going to miss you, too. You're amazing. Thank you, for everything." They pulled apart slightly and looked into each other's eyes. Adam moved slowly toward Sharpay and placed a light kiss on her lips.

"I love you," He whispered.

"I love you, too," She whispered back.

"And I love you both!" Colette cried, pulling them both into one final group hug. And then that was it.

-

"Oh, mom! You have no idea how absolutely, _wonderful_ it is to be home!" Sharpay squealed happily, throwing her bag on the floor and plopping onto her bed.

"You have no idea how wonderful it is to have _you_ home," She smiled, standing in her daughter's doorway. "You'll be returning to school on Monday, okay? I didn't want to bring you in for a half day today. We'll have lunch in about an hour and tonight is the opening night for the spring musical. Do you still want to go?"

"Yeah, of course," Sharpay smiled, even though she felt a slight pang of jealously and sadness that she wouldn't be a part of it.

"That's great. Ryan will be thrilled! I'll go start lunch and call you down after awhile." Alyson smiled once more at her daughter before walking downstairs.

Sharpay grabbed the teddy bear that she had had since childhood and hugged it to her chest, taking in the room. Everything was the same. She just realized she hadn't been in this room since that day almost two months ago when her friends had been over and she passed out in the bathroom, revealing her secret to all of them.

Her phone beeped, pulling her out of her thoughts for the time being. She flipped open her phone and put it to her ear, hearing the buzz of the airport in the background.

"Sharrrpayyy," Colette squealed, dragging out her name. "Adam and I are waiting to board our flight and we wanted to say hi! And that we miss you! And love you!"

"Coco! I miss you, too! I just got home. It's kind of weird, but I'm glad to be back. I just wish you and Adam were still here with me."

"I know, dear. Me, too. But spring break is only a few weeks away! Have you talked to your mom yet?"

"No, but I will at lunch. Weird...my first time eating at home in a long time, too. Ugh. I'll let you know as soon as I know, though," the blond said with excitement.

"Sounds great. Well, I'll let you say hi to Adam and we'll talk to you once we land. Bye, Shar! Love!" Colette passed the phone over to Adam, who's voice filled Sharpay's ear only moments later.

"Hi pretty girl," Adam said, making Sharpay feel warm. "How's home?"

"I've only been here a few minutes. But, it's nice. Weird. Different. The same. I miss you and Colette. I miss my brother and friends. Lots of mixed feelings," She laughed.

Adam chuckled along with her. "It's completely understandable. Hold on." Adam put the phone to his chest while Colette talked to him quickly. "Oh, Shar. I've gotta go! We'll call you soon! Miss you!"

"You, too!" Sharpay exclaimed back, but the line seemed to already be dead. With a sigh, she flipped her phone shut and laid her head back on her pillow.

The idea of returning to school after longer than a month's absence set her on edge. She would be happy to see her friends. But, how would they feel having her back? What about her teachers, especially Ms. Darbus, Coach Bolton, and Principal Matsui, who all knew about what had happened? What rumors had been spread? Would Ryan and her friends tell her or try to spare her the pain? Would the stress of school pull her back into her habits?

"No." Sharpay whispered, rejecting that thought. She was healthy right now and the last thing she wanted was to return to the agony she had subjected herself to. More thoughts filled her head. Had Ryan told their friends that she was returning tonight? Or would she be surprising them all? Well, she'd find out after school when Ryan returned home. And in all honesty, that was one of the biggest things she had missed. Ryan, always being there and looking out for her. Thinking about how she had treated him made her feel terrible, especially when he had tried to help and she just pushed him away.

Too many thoughts racing through her head, she pulled herself off of her bed and wandered down the stairs to help her mom with lunch.

-

"So, Mom..." Sharpay started as they drove to East High.

"Yes? What do you want now?" Mrs. Evans said with a teasing smile.

"How'd you know I wanted something?" Sharpay laughed.

"You're my daughter. I know a lot about you. So, what is it?"

"Well... Remember my friend Colette? She said that I could go stay with her for a week during spring break! She already talked to her parents about it, and I'd be back in time for the last four days of break, so I won't be missing any school or anything. So, can I go?" The blond girl breathed out in a rush.

With a warm smile, Mrs. Evans responded, "I'll have to talk to your father about it, but I don't think it should be a problem."

"Really?! Thank you so much, Mom! I'll have to call Coco right away!" Sharpay nearly screamed. "So, are we just meeting daddy at the school?"

"Yep. He's right... there," Mrs. Evans pointed to her husband as she parked the car. He was waiting right outside the school's front doors. The moment Sharpay saw him, she burst from the car, ran to him, and threw her arms around him. "Daddy!!"

"Sweetheart! I'm so glad you're home," He beamed.

Together, the Evans trio headed into the school, bought their tickets, and then found their seats quickly.

"Oh my gosh. Is that Sharpay Evans?" A girl whispered to her friend as Sharpay walked past.

"It is! Scandalous. Does she look different to you?" A blush was creeping up Sharpay's neck as she headed toward her seat.

"Do you think it's true? That she had to go to a psych ward because she was strung out on drugs?"

Embarrassed and shocked, she clenched her teeth and took her seat.

"Well, I guess she wasn't pregnant. She was only gone for about two months," A boy's voice sounded from behind Sharpay. This was going to be a long play.

-

The show went off fabulously, much to the cast's surprise. Everyone remembered their lines and cues, the lighting was perfect, and the props were all utilized. After the play, Sharpay left her parents talking to other parents as she went to go find her brother and friends. Sneaking backstage, Sharpay quickly spotted the back of her brother's blond head.

"Ryan!" Sharpay squealed. He turned around at the sound of his name, and his face instantly lit up.

"Shar!" He spoke excitedly, hugging his sister tightly. He held her at arm's length, taking her appearance in. "You look great. I'm so glad you're home. I've missed you so much!" He hugged her once more, then led her to the dressing rooms, his arm around her shoulder.

Suddenly, Sharpay was surrounded by many voices and arms, the only she could see were blending shades of hair.

"Sharpay! You're home?!"

"Why didn't you tell us you were coming?"

"I missed you so much!"

"Finally, you're home!"

"Aww!"

Sharpay was quickly released and could take in the faces of her friends. Gabriella, Troy, Kelsi, Zeke, Chad, and Taylor all stood around her, Ryan at their side.

"I am so glad you're here! And that you got to see the show!" Gabriella exclaimed.

"What'd you think of it?" Troy and Kelsi asked in unison, causing a ripple of laughter.

"You guys all did amazing!" Sharpay commended her friends.

"It would've been a thousand times greater if you had been a part of it, Shar," Troy said.

"Ugh, do not mention Abby. Please," Gabriella groaned.

"She did alright," Sharpay admitted.

"Sure, she did alright. But, _just_ alright. You were meant for that role," Troy said truthfully.

"You guys are being too nice."

"No, honestly. You would've been loads better. She's a nightmare. She's like this little monster inside of a ninth grader's body," Kelsi shuddered.

"Well, I think you all did great. And I'm so happy to see you guys!" The blond gushed.

"Hey, we're going out to dinner to celebrate. Please tell me you'll grace us with your beautiful presence," Zeke grinned, draping his arm over her shoulder.

"Of course," She nodded, feeling slightly awkward with Zeke looking at her the way he was. The thought of telling him about Adam was something she couldn't deal with, at least for now. "Let's go."

-

The following morning, Sharpay decided to call Zeke to tell him about Adam, but not before phoning Colette. The line rang three times before a voice cut in.

"Hello?" The voice spoke groggily.

"Coco?" Sharpay asked anxiously.

"Shar?!" Colette's voice brightened instantly.

"Yeah, it's me! How are you?"

"I'm great. I missed my family so much. I'm happy to be home. You?"

"Wonderful! Except, I've got to tell Zeke about Adam in a bit."

"Oh gosh, what are you going to say?" The tan blond inquired.

"Honestly, I have no idea," Sharpay sighed. "But, that's not why I called! I called to tell you that I will be seeing you in a little over two weeks because my mom said I could go to California for spring break!"

"WHAAAAAT?!" Sharpay had to pull the phone away from her ear from how loudly Colette was screaming. "Yay! I'm so excited, Shar! We'll talk more about it after you talk to Zeke."

"Don't remind me," The blond groaned. "Okay, I'll call you later today! Bye, Co!"

"Love you, Shar!"

Chewing on her lip, Sharpay dialed Zeke's cell phone. He picked up after the first ring.

"Hey Shar!" He said happily.

"Hi Zeke," Sharpay started nervously.

"What's wrong?" He asked, sensing her tone of voice. Everyone seemed much more in tune to her emotions and reactions since she had arrived home.

"Um," she breathed deeply, "I've got to tell you something."

"That's never good," He responded, sounded dejected. "So...?"

"Zeke, I like you. I really like you. It's just... I really like Adam, too. He completely understands everything I've gone through, and we just got so close while we were at rehab together. And I don't want you to hate me, and I just feel so bad. It's just, I thought you should know. I didn't want you to get the wrong idea. I'm such a terrible person," Sharpay rambled into the phone, her voice growing quieter with each word.

He sighed deeply before speaking. "Sharpay Evans. I could never, _never _hate you. And you are not a bad person. Sure, I'm hurt 'cause I really like you Sharpay. But if he makes you happy, then that makes me happy. That's all I want."

"Why?!" Sharpay whined.

"What?!" Zeke asked, taken aback and sounding confused.

"You're being so nice. And I feel so bad. Why do you have to be so sweet, Zeke?!"

"It's just part of my charm," He chuckled. "But, seriously. Just know I'm always here for you, and that I still want us to be friends like we are now. Is that okay?"

"That's more than I could ask for. Thanks for being so understanding, Zeke. And I am sorry," Sharpay said sincerely.

"Don't be. I'll see you later, Shar," Zeke said.

"Of course. Bye, Zeke."

Sharpay laid back on her bed, her mind swimming. Why did Zeke have to be so nice to her when she just broke his heart? A beep sounded from Sharpay's phone. It read, _I can't get you out of my head. I love you. :)_, from Adam. Warmness spread over Sharpay, washing away all of her current thoughts. That text alone made her feel a hundred times better.

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**Author's Note: Eh, I didn't know where to stop. Anyways..I love you guys! Review, _pretty pretty_ please? I've got ideas for the next few chapters already. Review replies next chapter, so make sure you leave a review! The longer the review, the longer my response usually is. Haha :)  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"Mom! Why are you doing this?! I'm _fine._ Don't you get that? I wouldn't be home from fucking rehab if I wasn't okay. Please mom!"

"Do not talk to your mother like that, Sharpay," Her father spoke sternly. "We agreed on this together."

"Bull. I can't believe this."

"Sharpay, you'll be able to see your friend Colette as soon as school gets out--"

"--_'As long as I keep up my grades and prove that I'm not falling back into my eating disorder_'," Sharpay mocked her mother perfectly. "I fucking get it. You don't trust me."

Ryan had been sitting silently in the kitchen as this fight had progressed in the living room.

"Sweetie, please calm down. We _do_ trust you. This isn't about trust. This is about your health and safety." Mrs. Evans spoke gently.

"What does that even mean?! Colette is bad for my health and safety?" Sharpay's breathing was becoming shorter and angry, hot tears were welling up in her eyes.

"Honey, we just don't know much about this girl and how stable she is with her eating disorder. She's used harmful substances in the past and we just don't--"

"Don't what? Don't want me using drugs? Using alcohol? WHY WOULD I? And you know absolutely nothing about Colette. She sure as hell doesn't _use_, and she cares way more about me than you two seem to." The petite blond was shaking now, her breath becoming even shorter.

"We just want you to be safe and healthy. Please calm down. _Please_," Mr. Evans pleaded. "This is your life, Sharpay! We're talking about your _life. _You've already done enough damage to yourself, we don't need anymore."

Sharpay had hit her breaking point. "DO YOU THINK I'M GOING TO KILL MYSELF? I can't even," she sucked in her breath swiftly, "_believe_ that you'd," another breath, "say that." Quickly, Ryan stood up from his chair and shuffled very cautiously to where his sister stood. Her body was breaking down slowly. "I'm healthy!" Breath. "I'm fine! I'm happy." Breath. "Or at least I was," breath," until you told me," breath, "I couldn't even," breath, "see my friend." In a huge rush, Sharpay cried out, "She gets it. She gets everything that I've been through and no one else does. Not even Adam knows as much as she does about what I've been through. Why would you take that away from me?"

Ryan placed his hands on Sharpay's shoulder, pulling her towards him. The quick, short breaths shook her body even more. Her eyes were blurred from how fast the tears were falling. "Come here, Shar," Ryan whispered smoothly, pulling her into a hug.

"Ryan, please tell them I'm okay. I'm good now. Please," She cried, tugging on his shirt.

He held onto her as they sat down gently on the floor, her breathing eventually becoming slower, the tears finally coming to a stop. After what seemed like hours, a light breathing could be heard from Sharpay, a sign that she was asleep.

With fire in his eyes, Ryan stared at his parents who stood above him. "Look what you've done. You really screwed up." The words hung heavily in the air as Ryan hoisted himself into a standing position, and then proceeded to carry his twin sister upstairs to her bed.

-

The room was cold as Sharpay woke up, trying to make sense of where she was. The last thing she could remember was fighting with her parents, and now she was in her room. She sat up in her bed and rubbed her forehead.

"You're awake," Ryan said brightly, setting down the book he was reading, and walking over to sit down next to his sister on her bed. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

The blond girl laid her head back down on her pillow, looking up at her twin brother. "How long was I asleep?"

"About three hours."

The room was silent for a moment as Ryan watched his sister carefully, and she mulled through her thoughts. "Do you think I overreacted?" Sharpay whispered, ashamed and embarrassed.

"Maybe. I think that situation could've been avoided completely, if we're being honest. You have every right to feel the way you do Sharpay. It'll take awhile to get used to being home again."

"I don't get why I can't just go. It's one week."

Ryan pursed his lips, thinking. "Mom and dad were really upset when they found about your eating disorder. They blamed themselves for not noticing something was wrong, just like I did for putting myself in denial." Sharpay grabbed Ryan's hand. "They're scared, Shar. They don't want to lose you."

"Ry, you know I'm better though. I'm doing so well. I'm not planning to jump off the deep end anytime soon. Putting you through that worry and pain hurt me more than you'll ever know," she spoke quietly.

With a broken smile, Ryan looked at his sister with watery eyes. "I know you're better. But, I'm still scared, too. If you won't wait to visit Colette for mom and dad's sake,_ please_, please do it for mine."

"Fine," Sharpay sighed. "I'm just sick of everyone walking on eggshells around me. I've been home three days, and I'm already sick of it," She laughed.

"We'll work on it. Everyone is really happy you're back, sis. We all just care a lot," The blond boy reminded her.

"Yeah, I know. I know."

"So, talk to me. We haven't had much time to catch up since you got back," Ryan said, laying down on the bed and staring up at the ceiling.

"Well, what do you want to know?" Sharpay asked, moving her body so that she was laying on her side, propping her head up with her arm so she could look at her brother.

"How are you? How was rehab? What are you thinking about?" Ryan asked quickly.

"Well," Sharpay laughed, "One question at a time. How am I? I'm good, Ry. Really, I am," she said with sincerity gleaming in her eyes. "I just wish Mom and Dad trusted me. I wouldn't be home if I wasn't better. I don't want to be like that again. I never want to feel that bad again."

Ryan patted her hand and smiled brightly at his twin. "I'm glad to hear it. So, rehab. Adam. Colette. I wanna hear it."

"Rehab... What to say? Emotional. I'd rather not talk about that right now. Colette, though, she's great. Ry, I really think you'd like her. She has a little bit of a temper, but she's also one of the sweetest girls I've ever met. She understands what I've been through, and she's been battling her disorder for a lot longer than me. It was like having a sister."

"Sounds nice. And Adam?" Ryan questioned with curiosity.

A bright pink creeped it's way onto Sharpay's cheeks. "I really like him, Ry."

"How come?" He sat up pretzel-legged and rested his head on the heel of his palm. "Why is he so great?"

"Are you sure I can talk to you? I don't want to freak you out with the whole... disorder side to things."

Ryan's face fell slightly. "Sharpay, we're twins. We're best friends. We've always been able to talk about anything. Sure, there have been a few bumps in the road, but we've gotta trust each other and feel comfortable. So, yes. Talk to me."

"Well, Colette's disorder was almost strictly anorexia. Which, you know, I dealt with, too. But, Adam's was much more about bulimia. And most of the people at rehab were there for anorexia. I, as you know, was an anorexic with bulimic tendencies. So, having Adam there really helped. He knew what I was dealing with when I felt like I had to purge. It wasn't just about not wanting to eat. It was about... wanting to gorge on everything in sight and then force myself to throw it up. But that's just one part of it," Sharpay said slowly, seeing Ryan's blank face. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, Shar. It's just hard to think that you went through that all. Just continue," He urged her.

"Well, he's cute. That's a given. He's also really protective. And caring. If I was having a bad day he would just hug me and tell me it'd be alright. He also told me that I was one of the biggest reasons he was getting better. Which really turned around my attitude toward treatment. He helped me realize that there is so much more to live for than whether or not I'm thin enough, or pretty enough, or the best. Because I can be any of those things. I _am _those things."

"He sounds great, sis. What about Zeke though?"

Sharpay huffed and turned so she was flat on her back, draping an arm over her eyes. Suddenly, she bolted upright. "Do you think I'm a bitch? Did I break Zeke's heart? Does he hate me? Gosh, he probably thinks I'm a giant tease. Ryan, I just I really like Adam and I like Zeke, but not in the--"

"Sharpay!"

The blond girl stopped her rant and looked at her brother.

"Just, calm down. You're getting too worked up," He said with a smile and small laugh.

"I need a guy's opinion on this. Come on, Ry!"

"Okay. Only if we can chat about it over ice cream."

"I thought you'd never ask." Sharpay smiled widely and linked arms with her brother as they exited her room.

* * *

**A/N:** Okay this is SO ridiculously short, but you guys.. I miss writing this so much. And I just really wanted to post something. I got a review yesterday from a girl named Aly and it totally just inspired me to start writing again. I've been dealing with so much this year, and I've also had no time and it's been really hard to even have a minute to just relax. But, just know I still love this story and I still want to finish it. So hang in there with me. Hopefully I can get another chapter sometime soon. I promise (hopefully! :/) that it won't take 9 months this time. Review, please. Tell me about your life and what you want to see in this story. I love you guys. I hope I still have some readers.. :( I will post review replies next time so leave me something good to respond to :)


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